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oelClaidteH 


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THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


PRESENTED  BY 


Richard  E.  Ballard 


I^aju  4*j  « 


V 


UNCLE  REMUS  AND  THE   LITTLE  BOY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/uncleremuslittleOOharr 


"  I  wish"  said  the  little  boy,  "  I  wish  I  could  fly 


UNCLE  REMUS 


3  ttS    ciK-c 


AND    THE     LITTLE     BOY 


BY 


JOEL  CHANDLER  HARRIS 


ILLUSTRATED    BY  J.  M.  CONDE* 


BOSTON 
SMALL,  MAYNARD  &  COMPANY 

Publishers 


AA.c      \s*< 


Copyright,  1910 
By  Small,   Maynard  &  Company 
(incorporated) 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 


First  printing,  September,  19 10 
Second  printing,  November,  1910 

Third  printing,  March,  1911 
Fourth  printing,  October,  19 1 2 

Fifth  printing,  July,  19 14 

Sixth  printing,  February,  19 16 

Seventh  printing,  July,  191 7 


THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS,   CAMBRIDGE,   U.S.A. 


CONTENTS 

Page 

The  Story  of  the  Doodang  .      .     .     .     .     .  13 

Hello,  House! 23 

Brer  Rabbit  has  Trouble  with  the  Moon      .  34. 

OP   Joshway  an    de  Sun 44 

Brer  Rabbit    Causes    Brer    Fox  to  Lose  his 

Hide         50 

Uncle  Remus  Addresses  Brother  Wind     .  61 

How  Brer  Rabbit  Saved  Brer  B'ar's  Life  .     .  69 

Uncle  Remus  Sings  a  Song 79 

Uncle  Remus  Receives  a  Letter     ....  83 

How  Brer  Rabbit  Raised  the  Dust      .      .      .  10 1 

The  Story  of  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck      .      .      .  112 

Brer  Rabbit  and  the  Pimmerly  Plum       .      .  145 

The    Story    of    Brer    Fox    and    Little    Mr. 

Cricket          152 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

"  I  wish,'*  said  the  little  boy,  "  I  wish  I  could  fly  "        Frontispiece 

Page 

"  He  tuk  ter  wantin'  things  he  aint  got" 15 

"  Brer  Rabbit  say  *  Ouch  !    you  make  de  col'  chills  run 

up  an'  down  my  back'" 17 

'*  Brer   Rabbit   wanter   know   what   done   gone    wid   de 

Doodang" 21 

Dey'd  march  down  de  big  road  arm-in-arm 25 

An'  in  he  went  an'  shot  de  do'  tight 27 

Dey  far' well'd  an'  so-long'd  wid  der  han's  on  der  heart  29 

"I  reelly  hopes  my  House  aint  dead" 33 

"  Brer  Rabbit  howdy' d  wid  'im,  an'  den  ax  'im  what  de 

name  er  goodness  is  de  matter" 39 

"He  tuck  a  runnin'  start,  an'  jump  de  long  jump"      .     .  41 

"  He  try  ter  say  de  words  dat  Unk'  Moon  had  sont"       .  43 

He  look  ter  de  East  an'  he  look  ter  de  West      ....  45 

King  Sun,  he  say,  "I'm  over  due.     'Cross  dar  whar  de 

night 's  still  black  " 47 

"Well,   Brer  Lion,  he  scramble  out  des  ez   hard  ez  he 

kin" 51 

"  Dis  make  Brer  Rabbit  set  down  an'  study  "      .     .     .     .  55 

"Brer  Lion  say, 'What's  all  dis  I  hear  ?'" 59 

[  ix] 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

He  couldn't  do  mo'  dan  sigh 63 

An'  tryin'  ter  drive  oF  Santy  'way  offter  de  Bye-an'-Bye  65 

I  wish  you  'd  'a'  cum  an'  fanned  us  sometime  in  last  July  67 

"'You  think  you  got  me,  don't  you,  Brer  B'ar?'  "     .     .  71 

"Anyhow,  Brer  B'ar  got  right  behime  Brer  Rabbit,  an' 

he  pusht  him  close" 73 

"  «  Look  out  dar,  Brer  B'ar  !     I  feel  dis  rock  a-fallin' !  '  "  77 

"An'  de  Elephant  comin'  wid  his  snout  done  th'ow'd  "  81 

"  Dey  gits  up  soon  an'  goes  ter  bed  late,  an'  dey  don't 

know  der  own  chillun  when  dey  meet  um  "     ...  85 

"  I    got   a   whole    bag    full    er    reasons,"    the    old    man 

responded 87 

From  the  bottom  of  his  hat  Uncle  Remus  took  a  letter   .  91 

"  I  am  waiting  for  the  parrot  to  doze  off  so   I   can  see 

whether  his  top-knot  is  dyed" 93 

"  I  am  going  to  bet  the  porter  a  dime  he  can't  make  them 

Fite" 97 

Accepted  the  invitation  to  stay  to  dinner,  and  went  back 

to  the  kitchen 99 

De  creeturs  tuck  a  notion  dey  'd  a-courtin'  go    .     .     .     .  103 

"  De  gent  dat  kin  take  a  sludge-hammer  an'  knock 

Out  de  dust  gits  a  gal  wid  'er  smick-smack-smock  !  "  105 

An'  rilled  um  wid  ashes  fum  de  oF  ash-pot 107 

An'  de  dust  flew'd  up  ter  de  top  er  de  tree 109 

Ex] 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

"Singin'   de  hongry  song — *  Quack  !    quack!    gi'   me  a 

piece  er  bread  ! '         115 

"  He  holler  out :  '  Dat  's  mine  !  dat  's  mine  !     I  des  now 

drapt  it'" 119 

"Brer  Rabbit  see  her  an'  ax  her  what  de  matter  mought  be"  1  2 1 

"She  say,  *  It 's  de  stretchin'  satchel;  jump  in  '  "     .     .     .  125 

"  She  quacked  so  loud,  dat  Uncle  Ladder  wuz  sorry  "       .127 

"She  come  right  face  wid  Gran'pappy  River"  ....  129 

"  01'  man  Drone  wuz  a-sunnin'  hisse'f  " 131 

"  De  cook  was  so  'stonish  '  dat  she  run  ter  de  big  house  "  135 

"  Put  her  in  de  stable  'long  wid  de  mules  an'  hosses  "       .137 

"An'  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  clom  it  round  by  round,  an' 

she  come  out  a-hollerin'  fer  her  purty  money"     .     .  139 

"An'  tol*  her    ter   go   on  'bout   her  business,  an'  pester 

him  no  mo'" 143 

So  he  sot  right  down  on  his  hunkers  an'  wait     ....  147 

"You'll  hatter  put  yo'  unpatience  aside" 149 

"  'T  wuz  in  de  satchel  in  de  tale,  an'  't  want  no  business 

er  mine  fer  ter  take  it  out  " 155 

"Mr.  Cricket  didn't   do  nothin'  in  de  roun'  worl'  but 

play  on  his  fife  an'  his  fiddle" 157 

"'Hello,  Brer  Fox  !  whar  you  gwine  ? '  " 159 

"  ■  I  useter  be  a  rover  in    my  young   days,  an'  I  'm  still 

a-rovin' " 161 

[  xi  ] 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

"'  Ef  he  aint,'  sez  Brer  Fox,  sezee,  ■  I  '11  ketch  him'  "     163 

"  Brer  Fox  pant  an'  'low,  *  No,  suh,  I  been  comin'  full 

till  all  de  time'" 165 

"Mr.  Cricket  tuck  a  flyin' jump  " 169 

"  He  say,  *  How  in  de  wide  worl'  did   you  git   here  so 

quick,  Mr.  Cricket  ?' " 171 


I 


THE  STORY  OF  THE 
DOODANG 

"^  WISH,"  said  the  little  boy,  sitting 
in  the  doorway  of  Uncle  Remus's 
cabin,  and  watching  a  vulture  poised 
on  motionless  wing,  almost  as  high  as  the 
clouds  that  sailed  by  —  "I  wish  I  could 
fly." 

The  old  man  regarded  him  curiously, 
and  then  a  frown  crept  up  and  sat  down 
on  his  forehead.  "  I  '11  tell  you  dis 
much,  honey,"  he  said,  "  ef  everybody 
wuz  ter  git  all  der  wishes,  de  wide  worl' 
'ud  be  turned  upside  down,  an'  be  rollin' 
over  de  wrong  way.  It  sho  would  !  "  He 
continued  to  regard  the  little  boy  with  such 
a  solemn  aspect  that  the  child  moved  un- 
easily in  his  seat  on  the  door-step.  "You 
sho  does  put  me  in  min'  er  de  ol'  Doodang 

[  13  1 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  DOODANG 

dat  useter  live  in  de  mud-flats  down  on  de 
river.  I  aint  never  see  'im  myse'f,  but  I 
done  seed  dem  what  say  dey  hear  tell  er 
dem  what  is  see  'im. 

"  None  un  um  can't  tell  what  kinder 
creetur  de  Doodang  wuz.  He  had  a  long 
tail,  like  a  yallergater,  a  great  big  body, 
four  short  legs,  two  short  y'ears,  an'  a 
head  mo'  funny  lookin'  dan  de  rhynossy- 
hoss.  His  mouf  retched  frum  de  een'  er 
his  nose  ter  his  shoulder-blades,  an'  his 
tushes  wuz  big  'nough,  long  'nough,  an' 
sharp  'nough  fer  ter  bite  off  de  behime 
leg  uv  a  elephant.  He  could  live  in  de 
water,  er  he  could  live  on  dry  Ian',  but 
he  mos'ly  wallered  in  de  mud-flats,  whar 
he  could  retch  down  in  de  water  an'  ketch 
a  fish,  er  retch  up  in  de  bushes  an'  ketch 
a  bird.      But   all   dis   aint  suit  'im  a  tall  5 

[  14  1 


"  He  tuk  ter  wantin   things  he  aint  got  " 


THE  STORY   OF   THE   DOODANG 

he  got  restless  j  he  tuk  ter  wantin'  things 
he  aint  got ;  an5  he  worried  an'  worried, 
an'  groaned  an'  growled.  He  kep'  all  de 
creeturs,  fur  and  feather,  wide  awake  fer 
miles  aroun\ 

"  Bimeby,  one  day,  Brer  Rabbit  come 
a-sa'nterin'  by,  an'  he  ax  de  Doodang 
what  de  name  er  goodness  is  de  matter, 
an'  de  Doodang  'spon'  an'  say  dat  he 
wanter  swim  ez  good  ez   de  fishes   does. 

"Brer  Rabbit  say,  'Ouch!  you  make 
de  col'  chills  run  up  an'  down  my  back 
when  you  talk  'bout  swimmin'  in  de  water. 
Swim  on  dry  Ian'  ol'  frien'  — swim  on  dry 
Ian' ! ' 

"But  some  er  de  fishes  done  Tiear  what 
de  Doodang  say,  an'  dey  helt  a  big  'sem- 
bly.  Dey  vow  dey  can't  stan'  de  racket 
dat  he   been   makin'   bofe   day  an'   night 

[  16] 


-5> 


^3 


^ 


o 


WifVoirfy  * 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  DOODANG 

De  upshot  uv  de  'sembly  wuz  dat  all  de 
fishes  'gree  fer  ter  loan  de  Doodang  one 
fin  apiece.  So  said,  so  done,  an5  when 
dey  tol'  de  Doodang  about  it,  he  fetched 
one  loud  howl^  an'  rolled  inter  shaller 
water.  Once  dar,  de  fishes  loant  'im 
eve'y  one  a  fin,  some  big  an'  some  little, 
an'  atter  dey  done  dat,  de  Doodang 
'skivver  dat  he  kin  swim  des  ez  nimble 
ez  de  rest. 

"  He  skeeted  about  in  de  water,  wavin' 
his  tail  fum  side  ter  side,  an'  swimmin'  fur 
an'  wide.  Brer  Rabbit  wuz  settin'  off 
in  de  bushes  watchin'.  Atter  while  de 
Doodang  git  tired,  an'  start  ter  go  on  dry 
Ian',  but  de  fishes  kick  up  sech  a  big  fuss, 
an'  make  sech  a  cry,  dat  he  say  he  better 
gi'  um  back  der  fins,  an'  den  he  crawled 
out  on  de  mud-flats  fer  ter  take  his  nap. 

[  18  ] 


THE  STORY   OF   THE   DOODANG 

"He  aint  been  dozin'  so  mighty  long, 
'fo'  he  hear  a  mighty  big  fuss,  an'  he 
look  up  an5  see  dat  de  blue  sky  wuz 
fa'rly  black  wid  birds,  big  an5  little.  De 
trees  on  de  islan'  wuz  der  roostin'  place, 
but  dey  wuz  comin'  home  soon  so  dey 
kin  git  some  sleep  'fo'  de  Doodang  set 
up  his  howlin'  an'  growlin',  an  moanin' 
an'  groanin'.  Well,  de  birds  aint  mo'n 
got  settle,5  'fo'  de  Doodang  start  up  his 
howlin'  an'  bellerin'.  Den  de  King-Bird 
flew'd  down  an'  ax  de  Doodang  what  de 
nam'er  goodness  is  de  matter.  Den  de 
Doodang  turn  over  in  de  mud,  an'  howl 
an'  beller.  De  King-Bird  flew'd  aroun', 
an'  den  he  come  back,  an'  ax  what  de 
trouble  is.  Atter  so  long  a  time,  de 
Doodang  say  dat  de  trouble  wid  him 
wuz   dat   he   wanted    ter  fly.      He  say  all 

[  19  1 


THE   STORY    OF   THE    DOODANG 

he  want  wuz  some  feathers,  an'  den  he 
kin   fly   ez   good   ez   anybody. 

"  Den  der  birds  hoi'  a  'sembly,  an' 
dey  all  'gree  fer  ter  loan  de  Doodang  a 
feather  apiece.  So  said,  so  done,  an' 
in  a  minnit  er  mo'  he  had  de  feathers 
a-plenty.  He  shuck  his  wings,  an'  ax 
whar'bouts  he  mus'  fly  fer  de  fust  try. 

"  Brer  Buzzard  say  de  best  place  wuz 
ter  de  islan'  what  aint  got  nothin'  but  dead 
trees  on  it,  an'  wid  dat,  de  Doodang  tuk 
a  runnin'  start,  an'  headed  fer  de  place. 
He  wuz  kinder  clumsy,  but  he  got  dar 
all  right.  De  birds  went  'long  fer  ter 
see  how  de  Doodang  'ud  come  out.  He 
landed  wid  a  tumble  splash  an'  splutter, 
an'  he  aint  hardly  hit  de  groun'  'fo'  Brer 
Buzzard  say  he  don't  want  his  feather 
fer  ter  git  wet,  an'   he  grabbed  it.      Den 

[    20    ] 


Brer  Rabbit  wanter  know  what  done  gone  wid  de  Doodang 


THE    STORY   OF   THE   DOODANG 

all   de    birds    grabbed    der'n,    an'   dar    he 
wuz. 

"  Days  an'  days  come  an'  went,  an' 
bimeby  Brer  Rabbit  wanter  know  what 
done  gone  wid  de  Doodang.  Brer  Buz- 
zard say,  'You  see  my  fambly  settin'  in 
de  dead  trees?  Well,  dar's  whar  de 
Doodang  is,  en'  ef  you  '11  git  me  a  bag, 
I'll  fetch  you  his  bones!'  An'  den  Brer 
Rabbit  sot  back  an'  laugh  twel  his  sides 
ache  !  " 

"  Anyhow,"  said  the  little  boy,  "  I 
should   like   to   fly." 

"  Fly,  den,"  replied  Uncle  Remus; 
"  Fly  right  in  de  house  dis  minnit,  ter 
yo'   mammy  !  " 


[22] 


HELLO,  HOUSE! 

BRER  RABBIT,  he  live  in  a  house 
on  de  hill, 
Ef  he  aint  move  off,   he's  a-livin' 
dar  still, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  ari*  a  heyo  ! 
An'   he  'd    hail  everybody  dat  pass  'long 

de   road, 
Whedder  dey  corned  er  whedder  dey  go'd, 

Ari*  a  hi-ho-hi  at?  a  heyo  ! 
He  wuz  mighty  good  frien's  wid  ol'   Brer 

B'ar, 
An'  dey 'd  ramble  tergeddermos'  eve'ywhar, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  at?  a  heyo  ! 
Dey  'd  go  a-fishin'  an'  stay  all  day, 
Dey    wuz   des   ez   frien'ly   ez   clabber  an' 
whey, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  ar?  a  heyo  ! 

[  23  ] 


HELLO,    HOUSE! 

Dey'd  march  down  de  big  road  arm-in-arm, 
A-doin'  uv  nobody  speshual  harm, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  ar?  a  heyo  ! 
All  went  well,  twel  one  fine  day, 
Dey  went  ter  Miss  Meadows'  an'  de  gals 
made  um  stay, 

Atf  a  hi-ho-hi  art  a  heyo  ! 
Brer  Fox  wuz  a-watchin'  an'   he  seed  um 

when  dey  went, 
An'  his  head  got  full  er  devilment, 

Ar?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo  ! 
Den  up  ter  cabin  he  tuck'n  crope, 
An'  he  sot  down  an'  giggle,  "Dis  is  luck, 
I  hope !  " 

Arf  a  hi-ho-hi  arf  a  heyo! 


[24  ] 


Dey  'd  march  down  de  big  road  arm-in-arm 


HELLO,    HOUSE! 

Kaze  de  cabin  do'  wuz  stan'in'  ajar, 
It  'd  been  leP  so  by  oP  Brer  B'ar, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo  ! 
"  De  do'  bein'  open,  I  better  go  in, 
An'  see  how  ol'  Brer  Rabbit's  been," 

Atf  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo! 
An'  in  he  went  an'  shot  de  do'  tight, 
An'  made  de  best  er  de  lack  er  light, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  ar?  a  heyo ! 
He  drapt  offter  sleep,  an'  he  sleep  mighty 

long, 
Kaze  dat  's  what  dey  tol'  me  in  de  song, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  ar?  a  heyo  ! 


[26] 


-  "^ 


An   in  he  went  an   shot  de  do   tight 


HELLO,    HOUSE! 

Brer   B'ar  an5    Brer  Rabbit,   dey  stay  an' 

stay, 
But  atter  so  long,  dey  come  away. 
Ar?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  bey  of 
An'   when   de   time   come   fer  de   two  ter 

part, 
Dey  far'well'd  an'  so-long' d  wid  der  han's 
on  der  heart, 

Ar?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  hey  of 
When    Brer    Rabbit    loped    up,    he    seed 

sump'n  wuz  wrong, 
De  do5  wuz  done  shot,  an'   s'picion  wuz 
strong, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  at?  a  heyo ! 
He  backed  off  a  little  ways,  wid  "  Hello, 

House!" 
But  everything  dar  wuz  as  still  ez  a  mouse, 
Atf  a  hi-ho-hi  ar?  a  heyo  ! 
[  28  ] 


a^ 


Dey  far  welTd  an    so-long  d  wid  der  hari s  on  der  heart 


HELLO,    HOUSE! 

He  wobbled  his  nose  an'  shuck  his  head, 
Wid,  "I  reely  hopes  my  House  aint  dead, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo  ! 
Sump'n    done    happen,    an'    dat    much    I 

knows, 
But    I    don't    wanter    w'ar    my    mournin' 
cloze," 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  art  a  heyo! 
" Hello,  House,  hello!"  wuz  his  loud  cry, 
An'  he  wope  an'  wipe  his  weepin'  eye, 

Ar?  a  hi-ho-hi  ar?  a  heyo  ! 
"  Dis    de    fust    time    my    House    fail    ter 

answer   me, 
An'  my  heart  is  heavy  ez  lead,"  sezee, 
An*  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo! 


[31  ] 


HELLO,    HOUSE! 

Den  oP  Brer  Fox  put  de  do'  on  de  chink 
An    Brer  Rabbit  grinned  an'  'gun  an'  er 

wink, 

Ar?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo  ! 
Wid,  "Oh,  House,  my  House!  why  don't 

you  answer  me?" 
"Hello!"   sez    Brer    Fox,    an'  "Hello!" 

sezee, 

Atf  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo ! 
Brer  Rabbit,   he  'low,    "Well,    I'll  hatter 

leave, 
Yo'    voice  done   change  so  it  makes  me 


rieve,': 


An*  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo  ! 
An'  den  he  hid  un'  de  honeysuckle  vine, 
An'   Brer  Fox  sneaked  out,  an'  went  whar 
he's   gwine, 

At?  a  hi-ho-hi  an*  a  heyo  ! 
[32  ] 


\ 


'^ 


"S 


s(«J., 


"  I  reely  hopes  my  House  aint  dead" 


BRER  RABBIT  HAS  TROUBLE 
WITH  THE  MOON 

ONE  day  the  little  boy  hurt  his 
toe  against  a  sharp  rock,  and  he 
ran  to  Uncle  Remus  for  both  aid 
and  consolation.  The  old  man,  in  the 
course  of  his  long  life,  had  had  consid- 
erable experience  in  such  matters,  and, 
after  anointing  the  wound  with  a  salve 
made  of  mutton  suet  and  white  resin,  he 
bandaged  it  up  as  neatly  as  a  woman 
could   have   done. 

"Dar's  a  heap  er  up  an'  downs  in  dis 
worl',"  he  remarked,  "  mo'  speshually 
downs.  'Taint  nigh  like  it  wuz  when 
Brer  Rabbit  an'  all  de  yuther  creeturs 
wuz  nex'-do'  neighbors  ter  de  Moon. 
Dar  want  no  hard  times  in  dat  country. 
Dey   had    lots   mo'   frolickin'  an'   fiddlin', 

[34] 

t 


BRER    RABBIT    HAS    TROUBLE 

an'  not  nigh  so  much  scufflin'  'roun  fer 
vittles." 

"  Where  was  that,  Uncle  Remus  ?  " 
the   little   boy  inquired. 

"  Up  dar  in  dat  country  whar  dey  wuz 
nigh  neighbors  ter  Unk'  Moon,"  replied 
the  old  man,  solemnly.  "  But  dey  had 
der  troubles,  kaze  dar  wuz  one  time  when 
ol'  Unk'  Moon  'gun  ter  git  puny,  an' 
it  look  mighty  like  he  gwineter  have  a 
spell   er  sickness." 

"  But  how  could  they  live  up  there 
without  falling  off?"  the  child  interrupted. 

"  Des  like  we  does  down  here,"  Uncle 
Remus  responded,  "  heads  up  an  foots 
down.  Now  when  de  creeturs  seed  dat 
Unk'  Moon  wuz  in  a  bad  way,  dey  ax 
deyse'f  what  de  matter.  Dey  call  an'  ax' 
'im  how  he  gittin'    on  an'  he   say  he  aint 

[  35] 


BRER    RABBIT    HAS    TROUBLE 

feelin'  so  well.  It  got  so,  atter  'while, 
dat  Unk'  Moon  'ud  set  out  in  de  back 
yard  mighty  nigh  de  whole  time.  It  went 
on  dis  way,  twel,  bimeby,  Brer  Rabbit 
clum  on  de  fence,  an'  'taint  take  him  long 
fer  ter  see  dat  Unk'  Moon  wuz  in  a 
mighty  bad  way.  It  seem  like  he  wuz 
swinkin'   up. 

"  He  hear  de  fuss  Brer  Rabbit  make 
when  he  clum  de  fence,  an'  he  look  up 
an'  say  howdy.  Brer  Rabbit  howdy' d  wid 
'im,  an'  den  ax  'im  what  de  name  er  good- 
ness is  de  matter.  He  say,  6  Aint  dar 
nothin'   I   kin   do   fer  ter  he'p   you  out?' 

"Unk'  Moon  say,  sezee,  'I'm  feared 
not;   you  aint  soople  'nough.' 

"'When  it  come  ter  soopleness,'  sez 
Brer  Rabbit,  sezee,  <I  takes  it  wid  me 
wharsomever  I   goes.' 

[  36  ]  ^ 


Brer  Rabbit  howdy' d  wid  'im,  an   den  ax  *im  what  de  name  er 
goodness  is  de  matter  " 


BRER    RABBIT    HAS    TROUBLE 

"  Den  Unk'  Moon  say,  'I'll  tell  you  des 
how  'tis;  I  wanter  sen'  word  ter  Mr.  Man 
dat  I  aint  feelin'  right  well.  I  been  shinin' 
fer  'im  at  night,  an'  done  cotch  col'  fum 
bein'  out  in  de  night  a'r  so  much,  en'  ef  I 
don't  put  out  my  light,  an  take  a  recess, 
I'll  be  in  a  mighty  bad  way.  I  wanter  take 
a  holiday,  but  ef  I  don't  sen'  Mr.  Man 
word,  he  '11  be  skeer'd  ter  death.' 

"<Des  show  me  de  way  fer  ter  go,'  sez 
ol'  Brer  Rabbit,  sezee,  <kaze  I  wanter  see 
dis  thing  you  call  Mr.  Man.' 

"So  Unk'  Moon  show'd  'im  de  way, 
an'  tol'  'im  what  ter  say:  'I'm  gittin'  weak 
fer  ter  be  mo'  strong;  I'm  gwine  in  de 
shade  fer  ter  git  mo'  light!' 

"Brer  Rabbit  say  dis  over  an'  over,  an' 
den  he  tuck  a  runnin'  start,  an' jump  de 
longjump;  an'  it  sho  wuz  a  long  un,  mon! 

[39] 


BRER  RABBIT  HAS  TROUBLE 

He  tuck  a  notion  dat  he  wuz  falling  stidder 
jumping  an'  dis  make  'im  open  bofe  eyes 
big  an'  wide,  an'  dey  been  big  an5  wide 
sense  dat  time.  He  landed  all  right,  an' 
den  he  got  up  an'  kinder  romp  about  fer 
ter  see  ef  his  j'ints  wuz  soople.  He  look 
in  Mr.  Man's  gyarden,  an'  dar  he  see  green 
peas,  an'  cabbage,  an'  collards,  an'  sparrer- 
grass,  an'  dey  make  'im  dribble  at  de  mouf. 

"He  knock  at  de  do',  an'  Mr.  Man  ax 
'im  what  he  want.  He  try  ter  say  de 
words  dat  Unk'  Moon  had  sont.  He  say 
<Unk'  Moon  sont  dis  word:  "I'm  gittin' 
weak;  I  got  no  strenk;  I'm  gwine  whar 
de  shadders  stay.'" 

"Mr.  Man  can't  make  dis  out,  so  he 
sont  word  back:  c Seldom  seed  an'  soon 
forgot;  when  Unk'  Moon  dies  his  foots 
gits  col'!' 

[40  ] 


"  //<?  /«<:£  <z  runniri  start ,  an  jump  de  long  jump  " 


BRER    RABBIT    HAS    TROUBLE 

"Wid  dat,  Brer  Rabbit  tuck  de  long 
jump  ag'in  an'  run  an'  tol'  Unk'  Moon 
what  Mr.  Man  say,  an'  dis  make  'im 
mighty  mad;  he  up  wid  a  shovel  an'  hit 
Brer  Rabbit  on  de  mouf  an'  split  his  lip. 
Brer  Rabbit  jump  at  Unk'  Moon  wid  toof 
an'  claw,  an'  dar  dey  had  it  up  an'  down. 
You  kin  see  de  marks  down  ter  dis  day 
—  Brer  Rabbit,  wid  his  split  lip,  an'  Unk' 
Moon  wid  de  scratches  on  his  face. 

"Den,  atter  dat,  Brer  Rabbit  tell  de 
yuther  creeturs  'bout  de  sheep  an'  de 
goats  an'  de  fine  fat  pigs  what  Mr.  Man 
raisin',  an'  bimeby,  one  day,  dey  all  tuck  de 
long  jump,  an'  dey  all  been  here  sense  dat 
time.  An'  mo'  dan  dat,  you  better  not  let 
yo'  mammy  see  dat  rag  on  yo'  toe,  kaze 
she  wont  let  you  go  bar'footed  no  mo' !  " 

[42  1 


"  He  try  ter  say  de  words  dat  link1  Moon  had  sont " 


OL'  JOSHWAY  AN'  DE  SUN 

OL'  Joshway  stood  in  front  er  his  tent, 
An'  sicc'd  his  soldiers  on, 
But  when  he  turned  fer  ter  look 
aroun', 
De  day  wuz  nearly  gone. 
He   rubbed    his   beard,    he    scratched    his 
head, 
An'  kicked  his  heel  in  de  groun'; 
Kaze  he  wanter  finish  de  battle-job 
Befo'  de  Sun  went  down. 

He  look  ter  de   East  an'  he   look   ter  de 
West, 
An'  he  wave  his  han'  on  high, 
"King    Sun,"    sezee,    "I    want    you    ter 
see 
Me  smite  um  hip  an'  thigh! 

[44] 


He  look  ter  de  East  an   he  look  ter  de  West 


OL'    JOSHWAY    AN'    DE    SUN 

Come  down  ter  camp  an'  rest  yo'se'f 

A  little  while  wid  me, 
I  '11  git  you  a  fan  an'  big  wide  cheer 

An'  set  it  whar  you  kin  see." 

Dey  wuz  lots  mo'  talk,  but  de  Sun   come 
down 

An'  tuck  a  little  ease, 
An'  when  he  got  too  awful  hot, 

He  called  up  ol'  Brer  Breeze! 
"My  time  is  short,"  sez  de  Sun,  sezee, 

"An'  you  better  do  yo'  do, 
Kaze  I'm  feelin'  like  I  wanter  see 

Dis  mortual  scuffle  throo!" 

Well,  dey  fit  an'  fit  an'  fowt  an'  fowt 
Right  dar  in  de  light  er  de  Sun, 

But  Joshway  frailed  um  out  an'  soon 
He  had  um  on  de  run. 

[46  ] 


^-  *. 


King  Sun,  he  say,  "I'm  over  due.      'Cross  dar  whar  de  nizht  's  still  black 


OL'    JOSHWAY    AN'    DE    SUN 

King  Sun,  he  say,  "I'm  over  due. 

'Cross  dar  whar  de  night's  still  black 
De  folks  will  wake  'fo'  de  chickens  crow 

An'  put  der  big  clocks  back." 

Ol'  Joshway  thanked  him  mighty  polite, 

An'  ax  him  fer  ter  come  ag'in; 
King  Sun,  he  say,  "I  speck  dat  I 

Will  be  whar  I  've  allers  been." 
Den    he    mosied    off,    kaze   he    aint    got 
time 

Fer  ter  set  an'  talk  an'  stay; 
He  hatter  go  off  whar  de  night  still   dark 

An'  start  ter  breakin'  day. 

Well,  time  run  on  an'  people  'spute 

'Bout  Joshway  an'  de  Sun, 
Some  say  dis  an'  some  say  dat, 

An'  splain  why  Joshway  won; 

[48  ] 


OL'    JOSHWAY    AN'    DE    SUN 

Sometimes  when  he  wuz  settin'  'roun' 
Whar  he  could  n't  he'p  but  hear, 

He'd  say,  "Go  in  de  settin'-room  an  see 
How  he  scorched  my  big  armcheer!" 


[49] 


BRER  RABBIT  CAUSES  BRER 
FOX  TO  LOSE  HIS  HIDE 

ONE  day  when  the  sun  was  shining 
brightly,  and  everything  appeared 
to  be  serene,  the  little  boy  seemed 
to  be  worried  about  something.  Uncle 
Remus  was  putting  the  finishing  touches 
to  a  fish-basket  that  had  been  taking  up 
his  time  for  several  days,  and,  for  a  minute 
or  two,  he  paid  no  attention  to  the  young- 
ster, who  was  sitting  on  the  door-sill,  gaz- 
ing into  far-off  space. 

"  What  de  matter,  honey?  It  look 
like  ter  me  dat  you  got  trouble  on  de 
min\  Dat  kinder  trouble  is  sorter  like 
a  baby's  toof-ache:  you  dunner  how  ter 
git  at  it." 

"  I  was  just  thinking,"  said  the  little  boy, 

"  how  the  lion  could  have  any  hair  on  his 

[50] 


"  //  V//,  Brer  Lion,  he  scramble  out  des  ez  hard  ez  he  kin  " 


BRER    FOX    LOSES    HIS    HIDE 

body  if  he  was  scalded.  Mother  says  he 
could  n't." 

"What  Miss  Sally  say?"  Uncle  Remus 
asked. 

"Why,  grandmother  said  she'd  rather 
count  the  hairs  on  a  tarrypin's  back  than 
to  bother  about  the  small  things  in  a  story 
that  was  worth  listening  to." 

The  grin  on  Uncle  Remus's  face  was 
one  of  pure  joy.  "  What  I  been  tell- 
ing you  'bout  yo'  gran'mammy.  Miss 
Sally  oughter  be  de  gov'ner  er  de 
Nunited  State  er  Georgy,  kaze  what  she 
dunno,  dey  aint  nobody  gwine  ter  tell  you. 
You  aint  hear  all  dat  tale,  an',  by  good 
rights,  you  oughter  ax  me  de  questions 
what  you  ax  yo'  mammy.  She  aint  tell 
you  de  tale."  This  was  a  rebuke,  and  the 
little  boy  received  it   as   such,  and   he  ap- 

[  53  ] 


BRER    FOX    LOSES    HIS    HIDE 

peared  to  be  very  penitent,  though  he  said 
nothing. 

"What  you  gwine  do  when  you  fin' 
yo'se'f  in  scaldin'  water?"  Uncle  Remus 
inquired.  "Is  you  gwine  ter  set  in  it  twel 
you  done  cooked?  Well,  Brer  Lion,  he 
scramble  out  des  ez  hard  ez  he  kin,  an'  dat 
wa'n't  quick  'nough  fer  ter  save  his  wool. 
An9  needer  wuz  it  quick  'nough,  fer  ter 
keep  'im  fum  bein'  mighty  so'  in  a  'bun- 
nunce  er  places  here  an'  dar  on  his  hide. 
He  went  home,  he  did,  an5  tuck  ter  his  bed, 
an'  he  stay  dar  twel  he  get  so  dat  he  kin 
move  about  widout  squallin'. 

"  In  dem  times,  he  wuz  de  king  er  de 
creeturs,  an'  whiles  he  wuz  layin'  dar  in  bed 
dey  all  call  on  'im  fer  ter  see  how  he  gittin' 
on.  Dey  all  pay  him  visits  'ceppin'  ol' 
Brer  Rabbit;    he  aint  gone   ter  de   house, 

[54  1 


"  Dis  make  Brer  Rabbit  set  down  an  study  " 


BRER    FOX    LOSES    HIS    HIDE 

but  he  went  nigh  'nough  ter  fin'  out  dat 
Brer  Fox  been  tellin'  some  mighty  mean 
tales   'bout  'im. 

"When  de  yuther  creeturs  hear  Brer 
Fox  runnin'  Brer  Rabbit  down,  an'  see  dat 
Brer  Lion  wuz  willin'  fer  ter  lissen  at  'im, 
dey  all  jine  in  an'  say  de  wuss  dey  kin; 
an  what  dey  aint  know  dey  make  up. 
Eve'y  whar  he  go,  Brer  Rabbit  hear  'bout 
de  talk  dey  been  havin',  an'  some  un  it  wuz 
so  bad  dat  it  fa'rly  make  his  y'ears  burn. 
Den  one  day  he  hear  tell  dat  Brer  Lion, 
bein'  de  King  er  de  creetur's,  had  tol'  Brer 
Fox  fer  ter  ketch  'im  an'  fetch  'im  dar  whar 
Brer  Lion  live  at. 

"Dis  make  Brer  Rabbit  set  down  an' 
study.  He  know  Brer  Fox  can't  ketch 
'im,  but  he  study  how  he  gwine  ter  git 
even  wid  'im.      He  study,  an'  study,  twel 

[  56] 


BRER  FOX  LOSES  HIS  HIDE 

bimeby,  one  day,  he  put  out  fer  ter  see 
how  Brer  Lion  gittin'  on. 

"De  road  he  went  tuck  'im  right  by 
Brer  Fox  house.  Brer  Fox  wuz  settin'  on 
de  front  porch  when  Brer  Rabbit  went  by, 
an'  he  look  like  he  'stonish';  but  he  aint 
say  nothin'.  Brer  Rabbit  aint  turn  his 
head,  kaze  he  know'd  dat  Brer  Fox  'ud 
foller  'long  atter. 

"He  went  on,  he  did,  twel  he  git  ter 
Brer  Lion's  house.  He  rap  on  de  do', 
an'  Brer  Lion  groan  an'  growl,  an'  say, 
'Come  in.'  So  said,  so  done.  Brer  Lion 
watch  Brer  Rabbit  mighty  hard,  an'  bimeby 
he  say,  4  What's  all  dis  I  hear?' 

"<  You'll  hatter  tell  me,'  sez  ol'  Brer 
Rabbit,  'kaze  I  been  off  on  a  long  journey. 
Stidder  callin'  on  you  an'  settin'  'roun' 
here,  a-doin'  uv  no  good  whatsomever,   I 

t57  ] 


BRER    FOX    LOSES    HIS    HIDE 

been  tryin'  fer  ter  fin5  sump'n  dat'd  kyo 
you.' 

"  <  Don't  tell  me  'bout  it,'  sez  Brer 
Lion,  sezee.  <  Everybody  been  tellin'  me 
what'd  kyo  me,  an'  I  aint  kyo'd  yit;  I'm 
wuss  off  dan  befo' !  ' 

"  Brer  Rabbit  say,  cl  could  'a'  come  des 
ez  much  ez  de  rest  er  de  creeturs,  an' 
'twould  'a'  done  des  ez  much  good.  But 
I  know'd,'  sezee,  <dat  when  anybody  gits 
scald'  wid  milk-warm  water,  dey's  sump'n 
de  matter  wid  um  sho'nough.  So  I  tuck'n 
went  off  whar  Mammy-Bammy-Big-Money 
live  at,  an'  I  ax  her  what  de  matter  when 
some  folks  kin  git  scald'  in  milk-warm 
water.  She  tuck  off  her  lef  slipper,  shuck 
out  de  pebbles  an'  count  'em  ez  dey  fell 
out,  an'  say  de  onliest  way  fer  ter  work  a 
kyo  is  ter  poultice  de  burns  wid  de   fresh 

[  58  ] 


\ 


"  Brer  Lion  sayy  '  What 's  all  dis  I  hear  ? 


BRER    FOX    LOSES    HIS    HIDE 

hide  er  his  best  frien'.  I  ax  who  it  is,' 
sez  ol'  Brer  Rabbit,  sezee,  'an'  she  say  he 
got  sharp  nose,  short  y'ears,  slim  legs,  an' 
a  bushy  tail/ 

"Brer  Lion  aint  wait  a  minit;  he  call 
ter  some  er  de  creeturs  what  hangin'  'roun', 
an'  he  say,  <  Fetch  me  de  hide  er  Brer 
Fox!'" 

Uncle  Remus  paused  and  leaned  his 
head   on   his   hand. 

"  What  then  ?  "  the  little  boy  inquired. 

"De  creeturs,  dey  fotch  it,"  replied  the 
old  man,  with   something  like   a  sigh. 


[60] 


UNCLE  REMUS    ADDRESSES 
BROTHER  WIND 

BRER     WIND,     please     stop     yo' 
prankin', 
Ez  you  go  ridin'  by! 
You  keer  no  mo'  fer  Chris'mus 
Dan  a  mule  in  a  patch  er  rye! 
You  make  folks  drap  der  bundles 

Dat  deyer  totin'  by; 
Ef  I  could  change  my  howdye, 

1 'd  make  it  a  short  good-bye! 
But  'fo'  you  go,  please  tell  us 
Whar  you  hid  at  last  July? 
De  9  er  last  July? 


De  country  roun'  we  panted 


You  could  hear  de  babies  cry 

[61  ] 


BROTHER    WIND 

De  Breeze  you  sont  wuz  feeble, 
He  couldn't  do  mo'  dan  sigh, 

An'  when  we  wanter  cool  off, 
You  never  did  come  nigh! 

Now,  whiles  youer  here,  please  tell  me 
Whar  you  stayed  at  last  July  — 
De  9  er  last  July. 

You  stayed  'way  all  de  summer, 

A-lettin'  us  sweat  an'  fry  5 
So  please  des  stop  yo'  capers, 

An'  tell  me  de  reason  why; 
Now,  here  you  come  at  Chris'mus, 

A-ridin'  yo'  hosses  high! 
I  never  did  like  sech  doin's, 

An'  dis  is  de  reason  why: 
I  'd  heap  ruther  tol'  you  howdye 

Some  time  in  last  July  — 

De  9  er  last  July! 

[62  ] 


He  could  tit  do  mo'  dan  sigh 


BROTHER    WIND 

It's  gittin'  close  to  Chris'mus, 

Wid  de  chillun  feelin'  spry, 
An'  here  you  come  wid  yo'  rippit, 

A-blowin'  san'  in  der  eye, 
An'  tryin'  ter  drive  ol'  Santy 

'Way  off  ter  de  Bye-an'-Bye, 
An'  leave  de  empty  stockin's 

A-hangin'  high  an'  dry ! 
Des  stop  an'  tell  me,  please,  suh  - 

Whar  wuz  you  last  July? 
De  9  er  last  July? 

Youer  roarin'  up  de  chimbleys, 
An'  a-rampin'  thoo  de  sky; 

Youer  whistlin'  roun'  de  cornders, 
An'  folks  kin  hear  you  cry! 

De  chillun  got  de  shivers, 
Dey  dunner  how  er  why; 

You  make  um  think  of  ghostes 

Dat  come  a-ramblin'  nigh ! 

[64] 


An  try  in   ter  drive  oF  Santy  'way  offer  de  Bye-ari-Bye 


BROTHER    WIND 

Now,  stop  an'  le'  me  ax  you, 
Whar  wuz  you  last  July? 
De  9  er  last  July  ? 

Ez  fur  ez  de  birds  an'  furder, 

You  spread  yo'  wings  an'  fly; 
An'  you  take  along  de  snow-storm 

Dat  you  've  picked  up  on  de  sly  ! 
Col'  brefF,  col'  feet  an'  fingers ! 

No  wonder  you  cough  an'  cry ; 
It  makes  me  sick  fer  ter  hear  you, 

Whiles  youer  sailin'  by! 
But  I  wish  you  'd  stop  an'  tell  me 

Whar  you  slep'  at  last  July  — 
De  9  er  last  July! 

Ef  you'd  'a'  been  lyin'  off  some'rs 
When  de  heat  wuz  a-risin'  high, 

I  bet  you  'd  'a'  heern  us  pantin'  — 
I  bet  you  'd  'a'  heern  us  fry! 

[66  ] 


c 


N 


), 


\) 


"J. 


I  wish  you  *d  V  cum  an  fanned  us  so?netime  in  last  July 


BROTHER   WIND 

Kaze  all  de  green  wuz  a-wiltin', 
An5  de  gyarden  groun'  wuz  dry ; 

King  Sun,  he  say,  "  I  '11  sizzle  urn, 
Er  I  '11  know  de  reason  why ! " 

I  wish  you  'd  'a'  cum  an'  fanned  us 
Sometime  in  last  July  — 
De  9  er  last  July! 

Brer  Wind,  please  stop  an'  lissen, 

An'  heed  my  Chris'mus  cry  — 
Quit  cuttin'  up  yo'  capers 

Under  de  wide  blue  sky  ! 
You  hear  dem  chillun  singin'  ? 

Well,  you  better  min'  yo'  eye! 
Des  save  yo'  strenk  fer  summer, 

An'  don't  fergit  fer  ter  try 
An'  wake  us  up  an'  cool  us 

Sometime  in  hot  July  — 
De  9  er  next  July! 

[  68] 


y 


HOW  BRER  RABBIT  SAVED 
BRER  B'AR'S  LIFE 

JUST  above  the  spring,  on  the  home- 
place,  there  was  a  large  over-hanging 
rock  that  was  a  source  of  great  interest 
to  the  little  boy.  He  wondered  how  it 
grew  there,  he  wondered  if  it  had  anything 
to  do  with  the  water-supply  that  bubbled 
beneath  it,  and  when  he  had  forgotten  to 
wonder  about  one  thing,  he  speedily  began 
to  wonder  about  something  else  concerning 
the  rock  — whether  there  was  a  gold  mine 
beneath  it,  or  a  cavern,  and  if  this  were  so, 
whether  a  door  would  fly  open  if  some  par- 
ticular word  or  phrase  was  said.  It  pre- 
sented a  problem  to  the  youngster  that  he 
could  not  long  escape  from;  and  it  was  so 
interesting   in   all  its  parts  and  particulars 

that  it  would  be  well  if  some  of  our  noisy 

[69  ] 


BRER    B'AR'S    LIFE    IS    SAVED 

modern  scientists  would  leave  their  foolish 
speculations,  go  to  the  old  plantation,  and 
there  contemplate  the  puzzle  presented  by 
the  hanging  rock.  The  little  boy  asked 
Uncle  Remus  about  it  more  than  once, 
and  he  was  so  persistent  in  recurring  to  the 
matter  that  the  old  man  finally  told  him  a 
story  about  it. 

"Ef  I  aint  mighty  much  mistooken," 
he  said,  "  dat  ar  rock  is  de  ve'y  one  what 
Brer  Rabbit  fool  some  er  de  creeturs  wid. 
I  dunno  ef  't  wuz  Brer  B'ar  er  Brer  Fox, 
but  we  '11  say  dat  't  wuz  oP  Brer  B'ar,  an' 
let  it  go  at  dat.  In  one  way  an'  anudder, 
Brer  Rabbit  wuz  all  de  time  a-pesterin'  de 
yuther  creeturs,  pullin'  der  tails  an'  runnin' 
off,  er  makin'  jokes  'bout  um,  er  playin' 
pranks  on  um. 

"  Ef  you  been  follerin'  me  'long  dis  fur, 

[  70  ] 


BRER    B'AR'S    LIFE    IS    SAVED 

you  know  dat  some  er  de  pranks  dat  ol' 
Brer  Rabbit  played  on  de  creeturs  got  um 
in  deep  trouble.  OP  Brer  B'ar  aint  got  no 
tail  fer  ter  be  pulled,  but  he  had  feelin's 
fer  ter  be  hurted.  I  dunner  what  Brer 
Rabbit  done  ter  him  at  dis  intickler  time, 
but  he  done  sump'n,  an'  I  speck  'twuz 
a-plenty.  Anyhow,  Brer  B'ar  got  right 
behime  Brer  Rabbit,  an'  he  pusht  him  so 
close,  dat  befo'  Brer  Rabbit  kin  git  in  a 
holler-tree,  Brer  B'ar  ketched  him  by  de 
behime  leg  an'  helt  'im.  He  try  fer  ter 
pull  'im  out,  but  Brer  Rabbit  kinder  brace 
hisse'f  ag'in  de  inside,  an'  dar  he  wuz. 
He  stick  his  head  ez  fur  up  de  holler  ez 
he  kin  an'  den  he  laugh  an'  say,  sezee: 
"  c  You  think  you  got  me,  don't  you, 
Brer  B'ar?  Well,  you  aint  5  dat  what 
youer  pullin'   an'  tuggin'   at  aint  nothin' 

[  72  ] 


"  Anyhow,  Brer  B' ar  got  right  behime  Brer  Rabbit,  an  he  pusht  him  close  " 


BRER   B'AR'S    LIFE    IS    SAVED 

but  a  last  year's  sprout  growin'  out'n  de 
groun'  in  here.  Ef  you  think  it 's  my 
behime  leg,  des  git  a  rock  an5  hit,  an' 
hit,  an'  you'll  see  dat  I  wont  flinch.' 

"  Brer  B'ar  looked  aroun'  fer  ter  fin'  a 
rock,  but  dar  wan't  none  right  at  han',  an' 
so  he  went  off  fer  ter  git  one.  Time  he 
come  back,  he  say,  sezee,  c  Whar  de  sprout, 
Brer  Rabbit  ? ' 

"  Brer  Rabbit,  he  'spon',  sezee,  4 1 
thought  you  want  comin'  back,  Brer  B'ar, 
an'  I  tuck'n  broke  it  off  so  I  kin  take  it 
ter  my  ol'  'oman  fer  ter  make  a  toof-bresh 
out'n  5  she  '11  like  it  fine  !  ' 

"  I  speck,"  Uncle  Remus  went  on,  look- 
ing curiously  at  the  child,  "dat  dat  holler- 
tree  must  'a'  been  up  dar  in  de  pastur' 
whar  de  barn  is,  an'  ef  dat 's  so,  we  kin 
foller   de    tale    wid     bofe    eyes    an'    min'. 

[  75  1 


BRER    B'AR'S    LIFE    IS    SAVED 

When  Brer  Rabbit  come  out  'n  de  holler 
fer  ter  go  home,  he  know'd  in  reason  dat 
Brer  B'ar  wuz  some'rs  close  about  watchin' 
fer  'im.  He  crope  out,  he  did,  an'  look 
all  'roun',  an'  den  he  made  a  dash  fer  de 
open,  but  ol'  Brer  B'ar  wuz  right  at  han', 
an'  when  Brer  Rabbit  made  his  dash,  Brer 
B'ar  made  one  too,  an'  he  wuz  so  servig- 
rous  dat  Brer  Rabbit  hatter  run  un'  dat 
hangin'  rock  dat 's  been  a-pesterin'  you. 
He  run  un'  dar,  he  did,  an'  Brer  B'ar 
retched  fer  'im,  an'  he  come  so  close  ter 
gittin'  'im  dat  he  'uz  skeer'd  mighty  nigh 
col'. 

"  He  holler  out,  he  did.  i  Look  out 
dar,  Brer  B'ar !  I  feel  dis  rock  a-fallin'  ! 
It  '11  git  me,  but  it  '11  git  you,  too,  an'  den 
what  good  is  yo'  temper  gwine  do  you  ? 
Don't  you   feel  it  sinkin'  down  ?      Go  git 

[  76  ] 


***-o*. 


* ^ 

"  *  Look  out  dar,  Brer  Far  !  I  feel  dis  rock  a-fallin  I '  " 


BRER    B'AR'S    LIFE    IS    SAVED 

sump'n  fer  ter  prop  it  up  wid  !  I  don't 
min'  gittin'  ketched  myse'f,  but  I  don't 
wanter  set  here  an'  see  you  mashed  ez  flat 
ez  a  battercake  !  ' 

"  An'  so  Brer  B'ar,  he  run  off  fer  ter 
get  a  pole  fer  ter  prop  up  de  rock  wid,  an' 
when  he  come  back,  Brer  Rabbit  wuz  done 
gone,  an'  't  wuz  many  a  long  day  'fo'  he 
seed  'im  ag'in." 

The  little  boy  sat  reflecting,  and  finally 
he  said  : 

"  Well  I  knew  there  was  something  cu- 
rious about  the  rock." 

Whereupon,  Uncle  Remus  closed  his 
eyes  and  held  them  so  until  the  child 
slipped  out  of  the  house  and  went  to 
play. 


[78] 


UNCLE  REMUS  SINGS  A  SONG 

BRER  B'AR  came  a-loping  down  de 
road  — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!  ) 
De   Swamp   Owl    hooted,    an'    a    Rooster 
crow'd  — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you  !  ) 
De  ol'  Oak  say,  "  I  'm  a-stayin'  whar  I  grow'd 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you !  ) 

Brer  Coon  come  a-pacin'  down  de  road  — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you  !  ) 

Brer  Rabbit  say,  "  Yo'  legs  been  bow'd 
(Too  long — too  long  fer  you!) 

An'  what  you  is  de  folks  done  know'd 
(Too  long — too  long  fer  you!) 

"Ez  ter  what  you  is,  der  min's  bestow' d 
(Too  long — too  long  fer  you!) 

Kaze  de  little  gray  monkey's  tail  done  grow'd 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 

[79] 


UNCLE    REMUS    SINGS    A    SONG 

An'    de    Elephant  comin'   wid    his    snout 
done  th'ow'd 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you  ! ) 


"An5  oP  Rhynossyhoss,  his  horn  a  load 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!  ) 

Will  soon  come  a-trottin'  down  de  road 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 

I  'm  afeard  he  '11  tromple  down  de  Toad 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 


"  Don't  you  never  go  down  de  ol'  West 

Road  — 

(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you !  ) 

Kaze  a  mighty  heap  er  folks  has  long  ago 

go'd  — 

(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 

All  a-cuttin'  de  craps  what  dey  has  sow'd  — 

(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 

[80] 


Ari  de  Elephant  comiri  wid  his  snout  done  th'ow'd  " 


UNCLE    REMUS    SINGS    A    SONG 

"Dey  all  went  by,  kaze  dey  thunk   dey 
know'd — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 
How  many  come  back  when   der  beards 
had  grow'd — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you !  ) 
How  many  saved  de  seed  what   dey  had 
mow'd  — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 

"An'    ol'  Brer  B'ar,   wid  his  whiskers 
grow'd  — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 
Tried  ter  fin'  out  sump'n  dat  he  never  had 
know'd  — 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!) 
How  kin  a  man  flourish  when  he's  pigeon- 
toed  ? 
(Too  long  —  too  long  fer  you!") 

[  82  ] 


UNCLE   REMUS    RECEIVES  A 

LETTER 

I  HOPE  I  see  you  well,"  Uncle  Remus 
remarked  politely  to  the  cook. 
"Well,  I  aint  right  well,"  was  the 
reply;    "  how  you  come  on  ?  " 

"  I  'm  kinder  'twix'  de  ham  an'  shoulder; 
I  b'lieves  dey  calls  it  middlin'.  I  'm  here 
ef  dat  's  anything  fer  ter  be  thankful  fer; 
I  'm  still  a-shufflin'  'long,  pickin'  up  a  stray 
meal's  vittles  whar  I  kin.  But  you  look 
like  you  been  sick;  I  speck  you  must  'a' 
shed  many  a  pound  sence  last  I  seed  you. 
Ef  I  had  n't  'a'  bit  my  tongue,  I  'd  'a'  ax'd 
you  whar  dey  planted  you  dat  you  could 
'a'  grabbled  out  so  quick,  an'  I  'd  'a' 
ax'd  ef  you  brung  back  de  box  dat  dey 
buried   you   in.      But  I  done   got  so   now 

[  83  1 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

dat  I  don't  run  on  like  I  useter.  Times 
change,  an'  folks  changes  wid  um.  Dem 
what  I  meet  wid  now  aint  no  mo'  like  dey 
useter  be  dan  a  blackjack  is  a  sweetgum. 
You  kin  see  money  writ  all  over  der  face; 
dey  gits  up  soon  an'  goes  ter  bed  late,  an' 
dey  don't  know  der  own  chillun  when  dey 
meet  um  on  de  street." 

"Yes,"  said  the  cook,  with  a  sigh,  "I 
speck  that's  about  de  way  of  it.  I  aint  so 
mighty  old  myse'f  but  folks  has  done 
change  might'ly  sence  I  grow'd  up,  bofe 
white  an'  black." 

"Aint  it  de  trufe?"  exclaimed  Uncle 
Remus.  "  But  fer  dat,  I  would  n't  be  here 
right  now.  What  you  reckon  Miss  Sally 
done  done?  She  done  gone  an'  sont  her 
gran'child   'way  off  yan  whar   de  wedder 

aint  so  changeable.      She  hear  him  sneeze 

[84] 


Dey  gits  up  soon  an  goes  ter  bed  late,  an  dey  don  t  know  der  own  chiilun 

when  dey  meet  urn  " 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

three  times  one  night,  an'  nothin'  would  do 
but  he  must  be  toted  off  ter  de  eend  er  de 
worl\  I  up  an'  tol'  her  dat  I  could  stan' 
it  ef  she  could,  an'  den  she  tuck  an'  flew 
up,  an'  gi'  me  what  she  call  a  piece  un  her 
mind.  De  chile's  mammy  aint  a-keerin', 
kaze  she  like  fer  ter  be  on  de  go,  an'  now 
dey  done  been  gone  dis  long  time.  Nobody 
kin  out-talk  Miss  Sally.  You  kin  go  out'n 
de  room  an'  leave  'er,  an'  she  '11  be  talkin' 
at  you  when  you  come  back.  Whar  de 
boss?" 

"He's  in  there,"  answered  the  cook; 
"I'll  go  see  ef  he's  busy  er  no." 

"Des  tell  'im  dat  ol'  man  Remus  is 
out  here  watchin'  de  oven,  an'  dat  he's 
done  got  a  letter  fum  Miss  Sally's  gran'- 
baby  dat  he  wants  read  out  des  like  it  is, 
wid  all  de  words  in  de  right  place." 

[  86  ] 


"  I  got  a  whole  bag  full  er  reasons"  the  old  man  responded 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

"Whyn't  you  git  yo'  Miss  Sally  to  read 
it  to  you,  ef  she's  so  high  an'  mighty/' 

"  I  got  a  whole  bag  full  er  reasons," 
the  old  man  responded,  with  a  twinkle  in 
his  eye.  "Miss  Sally's  a  settled  'oman 
by  now,  but  she  don't  no  mo'  mind  pro- 
jickin'  wid  you  dan'  she  minds  eatin'. 
She'd  read  it,  an'  be  mighty  glad  ter  do 
it,  but  you  'd  never  know  ef  de  talk  she 
read  out  wuz  in  dar  er  no.  She'll  joke 
wid  you  ef  you  so  sick  you  can't  skacely 
hoi'  yo'  head  up.  She'd  be  sho  fer  ter 
put  sump'n  in  de  letter  dat  aint  dar,  an' 
you  never  kin  tell  when  she's  leavin' 
sump'n  out.  But  nummine  dat,  dey  aint 
nobody  on  de  top  side  er  de  green  groun' 
dat  y'ever  got  ahead  of  her  yit.  I  may 
talk  about  her  myse'f,  but  I  aint  gwine  ter 
stan'  aroun'  an'  let  nobody  else  do  it,  kaze 

[  88  ] 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

I  knows  her  better  dan  she  knows  'erse'f. 
When  I  was  a  boy,  I  use  ter  caper  'roun' 
an'  frolic  wid  her  gran'daddy,  an'  now  here 
she  is  a  gran'mammy  in  her  own  right,  an' 
lookin'  mighty  nigh  ez  young  ez  de  boy's 
mammy.  But  you  aint  got  no  time  fer 
ter  lissen  at  me  5  you  done  got  dinner  on, 
an'  you  don't  wanter  stan'  dar  an'  see  it 
burn.  Go  tell  de  boss  dat  ol'  man  Re- 
mus is  out  here,  an'  ef  he  can't  see  me, 
well  an'  good;  I'll  stay  here  twel  he  kin, 
an'  maybe  I  '11  git  my  name  in  de  pot. 
Seem  like  ter  me  dat  I  smells  sump'n 
dat '11  tas'e  mighty  like  collards  when  you 
git  um  in  yo'  mouf." 

The  cook  laughed  and  went  into  the 
house  to  inquire  if  Uncle  Remus  could  see 
his  old-time  friend.  He  could,  to  a  cer- 
tainty, and  he  did.      From  the  bottom  of 

[  89  ] 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

his  hat,  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  Uncle 
Remus  took  a  letter  that  had  been  deliv- 
ered by  the  postman,  and  asked  if  it  would 
be  too  much  trouble  to  read  it.  Why,  it 
would  be  no  trouble  at  all.  The  letter  had 
never  been  opened  since  the  child-writer 
sealed  it,  but  this  was  soon  remedied. 
The  handwriting  was  that  of  a  little  fellow 
who  was  trying  to  learn  the  vertical  style, 
which  has  done  so  much  to  destroy  the 
individuality  of  the  younger  generation, 
and  it  read  as  follows: 

Dear  Uncle  Remus,  —  We  are  stopping  at  this 
place  to  wait  for  a  little  while  until  another  train 
passes,  because  there  has  been  a  reck  on  the  road, 
and  mamma  has  gone  to  sleep  with  a  handchif  over 
her  face,  to  keep  off  the  flies  that  are  made  alive 
by  the  heat  in  the  sleeping  car.  There's  very 
many  of  them  specially  where  a  bald-hedded  man 
is  trying  to  keep  hisself  awake  by  fighting  of  them. 

[90] 


From  the  bottom  of  his  hat  Uncle  Remus  took  a  letter 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

One  has  just  lit  on  this  paper.  I  would  kill  him 
only  it  might  blot  the  paper.  How  are  you  get- 
ting on  without  me  ?  I  hear  you  are  taken  up 
with  another  little  boy  which  is  pretyer  than  me. 
I  didn't  want  to  leave  at  all,  but  you  know  how 
granma  is,  if  I  sneeze  more  than  twicte  she  gives  me 
a  mustard  plaster  or  a  hot  bath,  and  both  of  them 
are  very  warm.  Mamma  said  when  she  got  on  the 
car  that  she  hoped  to  have  a  little  piece  now,  and 
there  was  a  lady  with  a  parrot  that  looked  at  me  very 
hard.  The  bird  is  pigin-toed,  an'  has  a  bill  as  big 
as  the  horn  of  my  gote.  It  is  fixed  so  he  can 
hang  on  the  lim  of  a  tree.  The  lady  told  me 
three  times  not  to  put  my  finger  in  the  cage  be- 
cause the  parrot  will  nip  it.  Granma  isnt  here, 
and  so  I  am  waiting  for  the  parrot  to  doze  off  so 
I  can  see  whether  his  top-not  is  dyed.  Please 
don't  tell  any  more  Brother  Rabbit  tales  till  I  get 
back,  which  I  hope  will  be  rite  soon.  Mamma 
has  just  woke  up  an'  asked  a  man  if  we  were  go- 
ing to  stay  here  all  night,  and  the  man  said  he 
would  n't  know  til  about  six  o'clock  to-morer 
morning.  Mamma  got  kind  of  red  in  the  face  and 
turned  her  back  on  the  man,  and  then  he  winked 

[92  1 


fi(. 


/  am  waiting  for  the  parrot  to  doze  off  so  I  can  see  whether  his  top-not  is 

dyed 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

at  me  and  opened  his  mouth  very  wide.  When  he 
goes  away,  Mamma  will  say  he  has  been  drinking. 
If  its  ginjer-rale,  I  hope  he  will  give  me  some,  be- 
cause ginjer-rale  makes  a  fuss  when  you  take  out 
the  stoper,  and  is  warm  as  brinjer  when  you  drink 
it  fast.  I  dident  know  I  could  rite  such  a  long 
letter.  But  Mamma  says  that  wen  you  travel,  it  is 
improving  to  the  mind.  I  have  only  one  more 
page  of  paper  left,  and  so  I  must  close  soon,  be- 
cause there  are  some  dogs  around  the  Car,  and  I 
am  going  to  bet  the  porter  a  dime  that  he  can't 
make  them  Fite.  If  he  does  I  know  which  one 
will  whip  he  is  a  brinnel  dog  with  a  ring  around 
his  nek,  and  he  hold  his  bob-tail  very  high.  I  hear 
a  wistle  some  where  and  I  am  afraid  its  the  train 
we  are  waiting  for,  because  I  havent  seen  a  sure 
enough  dog  fite  not  since  I  left  home.  Well,  I 
must  close,  write  as  soon  as  you  get  this.  Grandma 
will  give  you  a  stamp,  and  tell  me  what  she  says 
when  you  ask  her.  I  sure  wish  she  was  here 
now. 

Uncle  Remus  stood  very  still  while  the 
reading   was  going   on,  and  when  it   was 

[94] 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

over  with,  it  was  some  time  before  he  said 
anything.  He  stooped  and  picked  up  a 
stray  pin  that  he  saw  lying  on  the  floor, 
and  sighed.  Finally  he  made  a  remark 
that  seemed  to  ease  his  mind.  "Well, 
suh!"  he  said,  "is  anybody  ever  see  de 
beat  er  dat?  Dat  little  bit  er  feller,  not 
much  bigger  dan  yo'  two  fists,  a-settin' 
right  flat  down  an'  a-writin'  all  dat  to  de 
ol'  nigger.  You  mayn't  b'lieve  me,  suh, 
but  dat  wipes  out  de  whole  war.  I  'm 
kinder  skeer'd  fer  ter  show  dat  letter  ter 
Miss  Sally,  bekaze  she'll  make  a  heap  er 
fun  un  it,  an'  do  like  she's  a-laughin'  fit 
ter  kill,  an'  when  you  look  at  'er  right 
close,  you'll  find  dat  she's  been  a-cryin' 
all  de  time.  I  don't  mind  seein'  some 
folks  cry,  but  when  Miss  Sally  starts  her 
boo-hoo  ter  gwine,  I  know  dat  dar's  sump'n 

[95  1 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

'way  back  yanderdat  I  dunno  nothin'  'bout, 
an'  when  I  try  fer  ter  think  what  'tis,  it 
seem  mo'  like  a  dream,  no  matter  how 
bright  de  sun  tryin'  ter  shine,  bekaze  when 
Miss  Sally  cries  I  know  't  aint  'bout  nothin' 
right  at  hand,  but  'bout  sump'n  way  back 
yander  dat  she  done  most  fergot  about, 
less'n  a  word  er  a  letter.  You  know  how 
wimmen  is,  suh ;  dey  er  fur  an'  away  ahead 
er  de  men  folks.  It  seem  like  dey  er  con- 
stant a-runnin'  back  ter  ol'  times.  You 
think  de  young  gals  giggles  too  much: 
well,  des  wait  twel  you  have  a  granchiP, 
an'  den  you  '11  see  ef  dey  been  gigglin'  too 
much.      Let  um  giggle,  /  say !  " 

The  old  man  thankfully  accepted  the 
invitation  to  stay  to  dinner,  and  went  back 
to  the  kitchen,  where  he  could  be  heard 
trying  to  convert  the  cook  to  some   new 

[96] 


/  am  going  to  bet  the  porter  a  dime  that  he  cant  make  them  Fite  " 


UNCLE    REMUS'    LETTER 

form  of  belief — not  that  he  believed  it 
himself,  but  in  the  hope  that  he  could  ag- 
gravate her  into  showering  upon  him  the 
friendly  abuse  he  was  so  fond  of.  The 
cook,  however,  was  very  even-tempered, 
and  as  a  last  resort,  Uncle  Remus  sang 
this  old  song. 

OL'  JOB!    POOR  JOB! 

Moses  had  trouble,  trouble  enough, 

Sence  he  floated  on  de  Niles, 
But,  at  de  wust,  he'd  up  an'  say, 
Des  look  at  Job  an'  his  biles ! 
OP  Job!    Poor  Job! 

He  'd  lay  an'  sweat  fum   day  ter 
day, 
He  had  so  many  biles! 

He  had  no  room  fer  smiles ! 
[98  ] 


'^j^t^v. 


Accepted  the  invitation  to  stay  to  dinner,  and  went  back  to  the  kitchen 


UNCLE    REMUS5    LETTER 

John,  he  paced  his  prison  cage, 

I  dunner  how  many  miles, 
An'  den  he  say  ter  de  king's  daughter 
What  you  think  er  Job  an'  his  biles  ? 
OP  Job!    Poor  Job! 

He  had  no  room  fer  smiles  5 
He  railed  at  all  de  neighbors, 
He  had  so  many  biles ! 

St.  Paul,  he  wandered  'roun'  an'  'roun' 

A-many  a  thousand  miles, 
An'  he  allers  tell  de  folks  what  he  see 
Fer  ter  'member  Job  an'  his  biles ! 
Ol' Job!    Poor  Job! 

He  aint  got  time  fer  smiles; 
Attercountin'  all  his  goats  and  camels, 
He  tried  fer  ter  count  his  biles! 


[  100  ] 


HOW   BRER   RABBIT   RAISED 
THE   DUST 

ONCE  'pon  a  time,  er  two  times  er 
mo', 
Molly-ily-oly,  oly-ily-mo' ! 
De  creeturs  tuck  a  notion  dey'd  a-courtin' 

g°> 

Gooly-ooly,  an'  a  gil-gal  go ! 

Dey  pestered  Miss  Meadows  bofe  day  an5 

night> 
An'  eve'y  body  knows  dat  dat  want  right! 

Riley-ooly-rinktum,  riley-ily-right ! 

But  dat  Miss  Meadows — mon,  she's  a  sight! 

"Is  my  house  a  tavern?"  she  ax  de  gals, 

Gilly-ill-gooly,  gilly-ill-gals ! 
"  I   lay  I  '11   fix  um  wid  der  shills  an'   der 
shalls ! 

Shilly-ooly-sholy,  sholy-iley-shalls ! 

[  ioi  ] 


BRER    RABBIT    RAISED    DUST 

An'  you  better  go  put  on  yo'  balmorals! 
An'  don't  pester  me  wid  yo'  dil-dol-dals," 

Dilly-ann-dinktum,  illy-oll-dals ! 
De  dil-dol-dals  wuz  Sue's  an'  Sal's. 

Well,  de  ve'y  nex'  day,  all  de  creeturs  wuz 
dar, 
Darly-ily-oly,  oly-ily-dar ! 
Brer  Wolf  wid  his  grin,  an'  ol'  Brer  B'ar, 
Barly-billy-bumptum,    billy-bumptum 
bar! 
Brer   Fox  an'  Brer   Rabbit,  wid   his   pop- 
eye  ! 
A-seein'   what  he  seed,    an'    tryin'  fer   ter 
sigh, 
Sigh-along,     fly-along,     sing-along-a- 
sigh ! 
An'  so  humble  dat  he  showed  de  white  er 
his  eye. 

[    102   ] 


Be  creeturs  tuck  a  notion  dey  V  a-courtin  go 


BRER  RABBIT  RAISED  DUST 

Miss   Meadows   an'    de   gals   had   on    der 
best  frocks, 
Frackity-ackity,  purty  little  frock! 
An5  "Why  does  you  gents  allers  come  in 
flocks?" 
Fle-flo-flickity,  fly-flee-flock ! 
"  Down   here   by  de  branch  dar  's  a  great 

big  rock, 
An'  de  gent  dat  kin   take  a  sludge-ham- 
mer an'  knock 
Knick-knack -knock,  knickity-ann- 
knock! 
Out    de    dust    gits    a   gal   wid    'er   smick- 
smack-smock!  " 

Dey  'p'inted  de  day,  an'  all  un  um  dar 

Dooly-ily-dum,  dooly-ily-dar ! 
Kinder  thunk  dat  de  gal'd  go  ter  Brer  B'ar, 

Billy-illy-bumptum,  ol'  Billy  B'ar! 

[  104  ] 


"  De  gent  dat  kin  take  a  sludge-hammer  an   knock 
Out  de  dust  gits  a  gai  wid  'er  smick-smack-smock  !  " 


BRER    RABBIT    RAISED   DUST 

Brer    Rabbit,    he   sot    down    ter   work   de 

matter  out, 
An'  he  aint  thunk  long,  'fo'  he  riz  wid  a 

shout! 
Sholy-sheely-shoo,     an'     sheely-sholy- 

shout ! 
An'  he  dance  de  double-shuffle  fer  a  nour, 

nigh  about! 

When  de  time  come,  his  slippers  he  got, 

Gooly-ooly-goo,  gilly-ooly-got ! 
An'  filled  um  wid  ashes  fum  de  ol'  ash-pot, 

Pottery-ottery,  black  ol'  pot! 
He  shuffle  ter  de  place,  wid,  "  Good-day, 

gents ! 
I  'm  a-feelin'  dat  weak  dat  I  could  n't  dim' 
a  fence, 
Feely-oly-foo,  an-a-ten-rail-fence ! 

But  ter  git  dat  gal  is  my  intents !  " 

[  1 06  ] 


<oz 


4ri  filled  urn  void  ashes  fum  de  oF  ash-pot 


BRER    RABBIT    RAISED    DUST 

"An'  de  same  is  mine,"  growled  ol'  Brer 
B'ar, 
Barley-o,  an'  Billy-Billy-B'ar! 
"I'll  knock  out  de  dust  an'  never  raise  a 
ha'r!" 
Hilly-hilly-ho,  an'  hilly-hilly-har ! 
Brer  Wolf,  he  grin,  "You'll  fin'  me  dar, 
I'm    sump'n    uv    a    hitter,    I    thank    my 
star!" 
Star-ee-star-oo,  an'  a-twinkle  little  star! 
An'  ol'  Brer  Fox  say,  "  De  trial  must  be 
fa'r." 

All  er  de  creeturs  wuz  ter  have  three  tries, 
Trinky-tree,  trinky-ann-tries ! 

An'  de  gals  wuz  afeard  dey  'd  git  dust  in 
der  eyes, 
Izy-oozy-izzy,  oozy-izzy-eyes ! 

Brer  Wolf  wuz  de  fust,  an'  den  Brer  Fox, 

[  108  ] 


An   de  dust  flew'd  up  ter  de  top  er  de  tree 


BRER    RABBIT    RAISED    DUST 

An'  dey  like  to  a-knock  deyse'fs  out'n  der 
socks ! 
Sicky-icky-ox,  sicky-ann-socks ! 
But  de  dust  aint  come,  spite  er  der  knocks ! 

Den  ol'  Brer  B'ar,  he  hit,  an'  he  failed, 

Filamaloo-fail,  filmo-failed  ! 
Sezee,  "Byjing!  I  thunk  I  had  her  nailed," 

Nail-a-roo,  nail-a-rum  nailed ! 
Den  ol'  Brer  Rabbit,  he  hit  de  rock  three, 
An'  de  dust   flew'd   up   ter  de  top   er  de 
tree, 

Treelum-troolum,  tricky-ann-tree ! 
Kaze  de  ashes  dey  riz  eve'y  time  he  bent 
his  knee! 


[  in  ] 


THE   STORY   OF  TEENCHY- 
TINY  DUCK 

AS  usual  Uncle  Remus  made  his 
/  %  appearance  just  before  dinner, 
"^  When  asked  about  it,  he  laughed 
heartily.  "Well,  suh,"  he  said,  "I  never 
yit  seed  a  dinner  dat  could  skeer  me.  I 
don't  keer  how  big  it  is,  ner  how  fine, 
I  kin  look  it  right  in  de  face  an'  eyes,  an' 
never  turn  a  ha'r.  Ol'  Miss  use  ter  say 
dat  I  wuz  a  mighty  bol'  nigger  when  it 
come  ter  vittles,  an'  I  speck  dat 's  so, 
kaze  de  onliest  skeer  I  have  is  dat  de  cook 
wont  save  me  none." 

" Where  is  the  little  boy?" 

"Oh,  he  done  come  back.  He  went 
out  dar  ter  Californy  fer  ter  fix  his  lungs 
an'  livers,  an'  he  come  wid  me  fer  ter  see 
how  fur  you   live  fum   town.      He's    out 

[    112    ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

dar  in  de  yard  fishin'  fer  jacks.  He'll 
take  a  piece  er  grass  an'  run  it  down  in  a 
hole,  an'  de  fust  news  you  know,  he  done 
cotch  one.  I  tol'  him  dat  ef  he  wanted 
ter  hear  me  tell  a  tale,  he'd  hatter  come 
in  here  an'  tell  you  howdye.  I  'm  mighty 
glad  yo'  room  is  so  close  ter  der  kitchen  5 
I  kin  set  on  dis  trunk  an'  tell  you  what 
you  gwineter  have  fer  dinner.  Cabbage 
fer  one  thing,  an'  inguns  fer  an'er.  De 
cook  sho  must  'a'  know'd  I  wuz  comin'." 
At  this  juncture,  the  little  boy  ran  in, 
full  of  health  and  perspiration;  he  had  been 
having  a  glorious  time,  and  he  wished  that 
he  lived  somewhere  where  there  were  plenty 
of  trees  and  grass.  The  jack-bugs  that 
you  caught  in  town  were  hardly  worth 
fishing  for,  they  were  so  small  and  poor. 
His   trip   to   Southern   California   had   evi- 

r  113  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

dently  done  him  a  world  of  good.  His 
pallor  had  disappeared,  and  he  was  now  as 
ruddy  and  rugged  as  you  could  wish.  He 
was  very  polite,  too,  for  he  knew  that 
Uncle  Remus  was  regarding  him  with  crit- 
ical eyes.  But  when  all  the  formalities 
were  over,  his  mind  reverted  to  the  story 
that  he  had  been  promised,  and  he  re- 
minded Uncle  Remus  of  it. 

"You  hear  dat!"  the  old  negro  ex- 
claimed. "All  you  hear  fum  dat  boy  is 
tell  me  a  tale,  tell  me  a  tale,  an5  when  dat's 
done,  it's  tell  me  anudder,  tell  me  anud- 
der;  it  don't  make  no  diffunce  dat  age  is 
a-creepin'  on  de  ol'  nigger.  An'  I  speck 
I  '11  hatter  turn  over  an'  do  de  best  I  kin. 
It  puts  me  in  mind  er  ol'  Teenchy  Duck 
dat  foun'  a  money-purse  in  de  river." 

"How  was  that?"  the  little  boy  asked; 

[  in  J 


(}%r>. 


*(*/, 


Singin   de  hongry  song  —  \  Quack  !  quack  !  gi    me  a  piece  er  bread  ! 


f 

TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

"you  never  told  me  that  story;  you've 
been  keeping  it  to  yourself  all  this  time." 

"  Name  er  goodness,  honey !  I  'm  bleeze 
ter  have  some  secrets;  look  how  ol'  I  is, 
an'  how  wobbly!  You  don't  want  me  not 
to  have  no  secrets,  does  you  ?  " 

"No,"  said  the  boy  unblushingly; 
"not  story  secrets.  How  can  a  common 
everyday  story  be  a  secret!" 

"Well  ef  de  tales  I  tells  is  des  ever-day 
tales,  an'  common  too,  you  mought  ez 
well  not  take  de  trouble  fer  ter  lissen  at 
um.  Go  out  dar  an5  ketch  you  some  mo' 
jack-bugs." 

The  little  boy  looked  at  the  old  negro  as 
though  he  did  n't  understand  what  had  been 
said;  he  made  no  movement  to  go,  but 
was  evidently  uneasy.  "Well,  tell  me  about 
Teenchy  Duck,"  he  said  after  a  while. 

[  116  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

"'Taint  no  use,"  replied  Uncle  Remus 5 
"she  wa'n't  nothin'  but  a  common  every- 
day puddle  duck;  an'  mo'  dan  dat  she 
aint  got  but  two  foots  fer  ter  waddle  about 
on.      Aint  she  too  common  fer  you  ?  " 

The  little  boy  made  no  answer  what- 
ever; he  had  grown  wise  to  the  old  ne- 
gro's methods,  and  so  he  simply  waited. 
Uncle  Remus,  seated  upon  the  low  trunk, 
pulled  a  few  ravelings  from  his  sleeve, 
cleared  his  throat,  and  told  the  following 
story : 

"One  time  —  I  dunner  ef  it  wuz  in 
Greene  County,  er  in  Bald'in — dar  lived 
a  man  an'  a  'oman  dat  wuz  mighty  poor. 
Dey  aint  got  no  money,  an'  dey  aint  had 
time  fer  ter  save  none;  much  ez  dey  kin 
do  fer  ter  keep  body  an'  soul  tergedder. 
Dey  aint  got  no  farm,  an'  dey  aint  got  no 

[  117  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

gyarden  patch.  All  dey  had  in  de  roun' 
worl'  wuz  a  little  puddle  duck  dat  walked 
roun'  an'  roun'  all  day  singin'  de  hongry 
song — c Quack!  quack!  gi'  me  apiece  er 
bread  ! '  Look  like  it  would  n't  'a'  took 
much  ter  feed  her,  kaze  she  wuz  sech  a 
little  bit  er  duck  dat  folks  called  her 
Teenchy-Tiny  Duck.  Well,  one  day, 
whiles  she  wuz  paddlin'  in  de  river  —  I 
dunno  ef  it  wuz  de  Oconee  er  de  Ocmul- 
gee  —  she  up  an5  found  a  money-purse  all 
full  er  shiny  gold.  No  sooner  did  she 
see  it  dan  she  made  a  tumble  racket: 
4  Somebody  los'  der  purty  money !  Purty 
money !  purty  money !  Who  los'  der 
purty  money?5 

"Brer  Rabbit,  on  de  bank,  look  out'n 
his  hidin'  place,  an'  kinder  grin,  an'  den 
he  wunk  one  eye,  but  he  aint  say  a  word. 

[  118  ] 


"  He  holler  out :  '  Dat  's  mine  !  dat  's  mine  !     I  des  now  drapt  it ' 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

Bimeby  a  rich  man  come  'long;  he  had  a 
walkin'-stick  in  his  han',  an'  ever5  once  an' 
awhile  he'd  stop  an'  make  marks  in  de 
san',  a-countin'  up  de  money  what  he  had, 
an'  dat  what  he  done  lent  out;  he  wuz  one 
er  de  kind  what  you  call  big  rich  fer  dem 
days.  Well,  whiles  he  wuz  walkin'  'long, 
he  hear  de  fuss  dat  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck 's 
a-makin',  an'  he  look  close  fer  ter  see 
what  de  matter.  Den  an'  dar  his  eye  lit 
on  de  money-purse,  an'  he  seed  de  gold 
a-shinin'  thoo.  He  holler  out:  'Dat's 
mine!  dat's  mine!  I  des  now  drapt  it;' 
an'  wid  dat  he  tuck  de  gold  an  slapped  it 
in  his  kyarpet-sack. 

"Atter  he  done  gone,  Teenchy-Tiny 
got  so  mad  dat  all  she  kin  do  is  ter  dance 
'roun'  on  her  two  footsies.  She  say,  c  De 
gran'  rascal  done  took  it  all,  an'  aint  never 

[    120    ] 


*>^ 


--sr 


r  *•*    <-— 


C^BL        <>• 


% 


;fi(. 


"  Brer  Rabbit  see  her  an   ax  her  what  de  matter  mought  be  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

gi'  me  nothin'  fer  findin'  it!'  Den  she 
waddled  off  home  an'  tol'  um  what  done 
happened.  De  man  wuz  so  mad  dat  he 
wanter  pull  all  his  ha'r  out;  he  say,  he 
did,  'Git  outer  my  house  an'  lot,  sech  as 
dey  is,  and  don't  never  come  back  here 
twel  you  git  dat  money  what  de  rich  man 
tuck!'  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  aint  know 
what  ter  do.  She  went  back  ter  de  river 
bank,  an'  sot  down  an'  cried.  Brer  Rab- 
bit see  her  an'  ax  her  what  de  matter 
mought  be.  She  up  an'  tol'  'im  all  about 
it,  an'  he  wiped  one  eye  an'  wunk  de  udder. 
Sezee,  (  Well,  why  n't  you  go  atter  de  man 
an'  git  de  money?'  She  say,  'How  I 
gwineter  git  de  money  atter  I  find  de 
man?'  Brer  Rabbit  say,  sezee,  'Dey's 
allers  a  way,  ef  not  two.' 

"So    off   she     put,    a-waddlin'     an' 

[    122   ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

a-quackin',  <I  want  my  purty  money!  I 
want  my  purty  money ! '  She  foller'd  de 
man  by  de  marks  er  de  cane  in  de  ground. 
She  pass  by  ol'  Brer  Fox,  an5  he  ax  her 
what  de  matter.  She  up  'n'  toP  'im.  He 
ax  her  what  she  gwiner  do  when  she  fin' 
de  rich  man,  an'  she  say  she  gwine  git 
de  purty  money  an5  take  it  back  home. 
4  Shill  I  go  wid  you  ? '  sez  ol'  Brer  Fox, 
sezee,  an'  she  say  dat  nothin'  '11  suit  her 
better.  c  I  '11  hatter  hide,'  sez  ol'  Brer  Fox; 
i  how  I  gwine  do  it  ?  '  6  Git  in  my  satchel,' 
sez  Teenchy-Tiny.  Brer  Fox  say  'taint 
nigh  big  enough,  an'  she  make  answer. 
4  My  satchel  is  a  stretchin'  satchel.' 

"She  aint  gone  fur  befo'  she  met  ol' 
Brer  Wolf.  He  lissen  at  de  talk  'bout  de 
money,  an'  say,  i  Whar  you  come  fum  an' 

whar  you  gwine,  an'  what  you  gwine  atter  ?  * 

[  123  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

She  up  an'  tol'  'im.  «  Maybe  I  kin  he'p 
you,'  sezee,  'but  I'm  tired,  an'  I  can't  go 
so  fur.'  She  says,  se'  she,  <  Git  in  my 
satchel.'  He  say,  ''Taint  nigh  big  'nough.' 
She  say,  'It's  de  stretchin'  satchel;  jump 
in.'  Well,  in  he  jumped,  an'  atter  dat, 
Teenchy-Tiny  can't  go  so  mighty  fast, 
kaze  she  got  too  big  a  load.  But  she 
waddled  on,  ^quackin'  'bout  de  purty 
money. 

"Bimeby,  whiles  she  wuz  gwine  on 
down  de  road,  she  come  up  wid  Uncle 
Ladder,  takin'  his  noon  rest  by  de  side 
of  a  tree.  Uncle  Ladder,  he  say,  sezee, 
4 You  must  not  feel  so  well  fum  de  way 
youer  gwine  on.'  Den  Teenchy-Tiny  up 
an'  tol'  him  about  de  bad  luck  she  done 
had;    she    shuck   her   head    backerds    an' 

forrerds,  an'  quacked   so  loud,  dat   Uncle 

[  124  ] 


"  She  say,  < It 's  de  stretchin   satchel;  jump  in  '  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

Ladder  wuz  sorry.  He  ax  her  ef  he  kin 
do  anything  fer  ter  he'p  her  out,  an'  she 
say  she  speck  he  kin  do  a  heap  to  he'p  her. 
Uncle  Ladder  says,  sezee,  dat  he  'd  be  glad 
ef  he  kin,  but  he  can't  walk,  an'  he  dunner 
how  he  gwine  wid  her.  Teenchy-Tiny 
say,  <  Des  git  in  my  satchel,  an'  I  '11  tote 
you  de  best  I  know  how.'  So  Uncle  Lad- 
der got  in  de  satchel,  an'  off  she  started." 

At  this  point  Uncle  Remus  glanced 
suddenly  at  the  little  boy,  who  had  an 
expression  of  unbelief  on  his  face.  He 
caught  the  eye  of  the  old  negro,  and  re- 
marked, "  I  was  just  thinking  what  mother 
would  say  to  that." 

"Is  she  here?"  Uncle  Remus  inquired 
in  a  matter-of-fact  way.  "Well,  den, 
honey,  ef  she  aint  here,  an'  not  likely  ter 

be,  dey  aint  no   reason  why  de  tale  aint 

[  126  ] 


^ 


"  She  quacked  so  loud  dat  Uncle  Ladder  wuz  sorry  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

des  ez  good  ez  some  yuther  tales  you  've 
hearn   me   tell   'fo'    now. 

"Well,  Uncle  Ladder  clomb  in  de 
satchel,  an'  he  had  plenty  er  room,  an' 
Teenchy-Tiny  Puddle  Duck  went  wobblin' 
on,  quackin'  'bout  de  purty  money  what 
done  been  tuck  fum  'er.  Now  whiles  she 
gwine  on,  follerin'  de  tracks  er  de  rich  man's 
walkin'-cane,  she  come  right  face  wid  de 
best  frien'  she'd  y'ever  had,  an'  dat  wuz 
Gran'pappy  River.  He  stop  runnin',  he 
did,  an'  say,  sezee,  c  Why,  what  de  mat- 
ter? When  I  seed  you  dis  mornin',  you 
look  like  you  wuz  happy,  an'  now,  here 
you  is  in  deep  trouble.  How  kin  I  he'p 
you?  Maybe  I'd  better  go  wid  you;  I 
sholy  would  ef  I  had  legs.' " 

Here  Uncle  Remus  paused  a  moment  to 

glance  at  the  little  boy  out  of  the   corner 

[  128  3 


"  She  come  right  face  wtd  Gran  pappy  River  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

of  his  eye,  but  the  youngster  had  ceased 
to  be  doubtful ;  he  had  become  interested. 
Uncle  Remus  shook  his  head  triumphantly, 
and  went  on:  "Gran'pappy  River  got  in 
de  satchel  widout  drownin'  anybody,  an' 
Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  went  on,  still  foller- 
in'  de  tracks  dat  de  rich  man's  walkin'-cane 
had  made  in  de  groun',  an'  purty  soon, 
ef  not  sooner,  she  come  ter  a  big  Bee 
Hive.  Ol'  man  Drone  wuz  a-sunnin'  his- 
se'f,  an'  when  he  seed  her  he  got  ter 
laughin'  an'  'twant  long  'fo'  all  de  Bees 
had  come  out  fer  ter  see  what  de  trouble 
wuz  all  about.  An'  when  dey  seed  her, 
dey  laugh  an'  laugh  twel  some  on  'em  fell 
down  fum  de  bench.  But  Teenchy-Tiny 
Puddle  Duck  look  so  solium  dat  dey 
hushed  up  one  an'er  atter  while,  an'  say, 
<We-all   wuz  des  laughin'   kaze    you   got 

[  130] 


cc0/'  man  Drone  wuz  a-sunnin   hissef 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

sech  a  big  fat  satchel.      Tell  us  what  de 
matter  is.' 

"She  sot  down  an'  tol'  'em  all  about 
her  troubles,  an'  it  look  like  dey  git  bigger 
an'  wusser  de  mo'  she  talk  about  um.  De 
Bees  said  dey'd  be  mo'  dan  glad  fer  ter 
he'p  her  out  ef  dey  know'd  how,  an'  dey 
ax  ef  dey  can't  go  wid  'er.  c  Git  in  my 
satchel,'  se'  she,  an5,  sho  'nough,  in  dey 
swarmed.  She  went  on,  sometimes 
a-waddlin'  an'  sometimes  a-toddlin',  an' 
long  about  night,  she  come  ter  de  place 
whar  de  rich  man  live  at.  She  crope  un' 
de  gate,  an'  went  up  ter  de  big  house  hol- 
lerin'  fer  her  purty  money.  De  rich  man 
he  hear  her,  an'  he  know'd  des  'zackly 
what  she  come  fer.  He  laugh,  he  did,  an' 
make  some  er  de  niggers  put  her  in  de 
hen-house  'long  wid  de  geese  an'  de  tur- 

[  133  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

keys,  an'  tol'  de  cook  fer  ter  have  'er  fer 
dinner  de  nex'  day.  So  said,  so  done. 
Inter  de  hen-house  she  went,  an'  time  she 
git  in  dar  de  yuther  fowls  'gun  ter  make  a 
mighty  racket;  I  speck  dey  must  er  ketch  a 
whiff  er  Brer  Fox.  Anyhow,  dey  got  atter 
her,  dark  ez  'twuz,  dey  got  atter  her,  an' 
pecked  on  her  an'  beat  her  wid  der  wings, 
an'  she  hatter  call  on  Brer  Fox  fer  ter 
come  outer  de  satchel  an'  see  what  he  kin 
do  ter  settle  de  'spute. 

"Well,  out  he  come,  an'  mighty  glad  er 
de  chance.  All  de  fowls  quit  der  'sputin' 
an'  when  de  cook  come  out  de  nex'  mornin' 
fer  ter  git  Teenchy-Tiny,  she  sho  did  open 
her  eyes.  De  groun'  wuz  strowed  wid 
dead  chickens,  an'  turkeys,  an'  gooses, 
kaze  Brer  Fox  sho  had  done  his  work 
well.      De  cook  was  so   'stonish'  dat  she 

[  134] 


"  De  cook  was  so  ' ' stonisJi   dat  she  run  ter  de  big  house  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

run  ter  de  big  house  widout  takin'  time 
fer  ter  pull  de  hen-house  door  shet. 
Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  marched  out  wid  her 
fat  satchel  an'  went  'roun'  ter  de  front, 
quackin'  an  squallin',  <Gi'  me  back  my 
purty  money !  Gi'  me  back  my  purty 
money ! '  De  rich  man's  wife,  when  de 
cook  got  thoo  tellin'  her  tale,  up  an'  say, 
<Dat  aint  no  Duck;  it's  a  witch.  Ef  you 
don't  gi'  her  her  money  back,  we'll  sho 
have  bad  luck ! '  But  de  man  des  laugh, 
an'  he  laughed  ever'  time  he  hear  Teenchy- 
Tiny  Duck  holler.  An'  she  kep'  it  up  all 
day  long.  Sometimes  she  'd  set  down  an' 
rest,  but  de  most  er  de  time,  she  wuz 
totin'  her  big  satchel  about  over  de  place, 
an'  hollerin'  ter  de  man  fer  ter  gi'  her 
back  her  purty  money  what  she  found. 
"Night  come  ez  night  will,  an'  de  rich 

[  136] 


"  Put  her  in  de  stable  'long  wid  de  mules  an   hosses  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

man  made  de  niggers  take  de  Duck  an' 
put  her  in  de  stable  'long  wid  de  mules 
an'  hosses.  He  say,  'We'll  see  what 
she  '11  holler  in  de  mornin'.'  No  sooner 
said  dan  done,  an'  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck 
wuz  so  skeer'd  dat  she  call  ter  Brer  Wolf, 
dat  ef  he  don't  come  an  he'p  'er,  she  sholy 
will  be  trompled  under  de  creeturs'  foots. 
Well,  Brer  Wolf  aint  need  no  second  tel- 
lin' ;  he  work  so  hard  an'  he  work  so  fast, 
dat  when  de  plough-hands  an'  de  waggin 
drivers  come  for  ter  git  der  teams  de  nex' 
mornin',  dey  fin'  um  all  stretched  out  stiff. 
When  dis  word  went  out,  de  rich  man's 
ol'  'oman  beg  an'  beg  'im  fer  ter  gi'  de 
money  back  ter  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck. 
But  de  man  wuz  too  mad  ter  lissen.  So 
he  went  out  in  de  yard,  an'  tell  his  niggers 
fer  ter  fling  her  in  de  well. 

[  138  ] 


An   Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  clom  it  round  by  round,  an  she  come  out  a-hollerin 

fer  her  pur ty  money  " 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

"  All  dis  time,  an'  whiles  dey  wuz  totin' 
her  off,  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  keep  on 
squallin'  an  quackin',  <Gi'  me  back  my 
purty  money ! '  Dey  flung  her  in  de  well, 
an'  ez  she  fell,  she  holler  ter  de  Ladder 
fer  come  he'p  her.  De  Ladder  got  out'n 
de  satchel  an'  kinder  stretched  itse'f,  kaze 
it  had  been  might'ly  cramped  in  dar.  It 
stretched  itse'f  twel  it  got  ter  de  top,  an' 
Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  clom  it  round  by 
round,  an'  come  out,  an'  she  come  a-hol- 
lerin'  fer  her  purty  money.  You  may 
well  believe  dat  dem  are  niggers  an'  all  de 
balance  wuz  might'ly  'stonished.  But  de 
rich  man  got  madder  dan  he  wuz  befo'. 
He  stomped  his  foots  an'  pulled  his  ha'r, 
an'  des  vow  dat  he  aint  gwine  ter  turn  de 
money  loose.  He  run  out,  he  did,  an'  toP 
um   ter  heat  de   bakin'   oven   red-hot  an' 

[  140  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

put  her  in.  An'  all  dat  time  Teenchy- 
Tiny  wuz  marchin'  up  an5  down  squalliir 
an'  quackin'  fer  her  purty  money.  Dey 
got  de  oven  mighty  hot,  an'  de  rich  man 
tol'  um  fer  ter  fling  her  in.  De  niggers 
wuz  skeer'd  but  dey  hatter  do  what  der 
marster  tol'  um.  Time  dey  done  it, 
Teenchy-Tiny  Duck  call  fer  ol'  friend,  de 
River,  an'  he  bust  outer  de  satchel  an' 
squelched  de  fier,  an'  Teenchy-Tiny  come 
marchin'  out,  hollerin'  louder  dan  ever  fer 
her  purty  money. 

"  An'  still  de  rich  man  wont  turn  de 
money  loose,  no  matter  how  much  his 
wife  beg  him.  He  say  he'll  'ten'  ter  de 
job  hisse'f;  an'  dat  night,  when  ever'body 
but  him  had  done  gone  ter  bed,  he  tuck  his 
walkin'-cane,  an'  went  out  an'  got  Teenchy- 
Tiny  Duck,  an'  wuz  des  in  de  ac'  er  beatin' 

E  hi  ] 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

her  plum  ter  death,  when  she  called  on  de 
Bees  fer  ter  come  an'  he'p  her.  Dey  come 
swarmin'  out,  an5  de  way  dey  treat  dat 
rich  man  wuz  'nough  fer  ter  make  you 
smile  er  cry,  whichever  way  yo'  mind 
mought  lean.  He  could  n't  run  fast  'nough 
fer  ter  git  de  money,  an'  when  he  got  it 
he  hand  it  ter  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck,  an' 
tol'  her  ter  go  on  'bout  her  business,  an' 
pester  him  no  mo'.  She  waddled  off  down 
de  road,  an'  she  tuck  all  her  friends  back 
whar  dey  j'ined  her  —  de  Bees  ter  de  Hive, 
de  Ladder  ter  de  wall,  an'  de  River  ter  its 
bed.  Brer  Wolf  an'  Brer  Fox  'low  dat 
dey  kin  walk  faster  dan  she  could  tote  um. 
Her  marster  an'  mistiss  got  de  money  dat 
aint  b'long  ter  um,  an'  it  look  like  dey 
ought  er  be  happy,  but  dey  wa'n't;  dey 
know'd  dey  wuz  spendin'  dat   dat  wa'  n't 

[  142  ] 


An    toF  her  ter  go  on  'bout  her  business^  an  pester  him  no  mo* ' 


TEENCHY-TINY    DUCK 

der'n.  But  dey  feed  Teenchy-Tiny  Duck 
twel  she  got  so  fat  an'  sassy  dat  she  wont 
'sociate  wid  nobody  but  de  fambly  dat  dey 
calls  Muscovey;  you  know  what  I  mean." 
Of  course  the  little  boy  knew,  but  he 
was  thinking  about  it  so  hard  that  he  for- 
got to  laugh.  Uncle  Remus  adjourned  to 
the  kitchen,  where  he  soon  had  the  cook 
talking  in  wrathful  tones.  As  for  the  little 
boy  he  found  a  big  picture  book,  in  which 
he  became  so  absorbed  that  it  would  have 
been  difficult  for  a  stranger  to  imagine  that 
there  was  a  little  boy  in  the  house. 


[  144  ] 


BRER  RABBIT  AND  THE 
PIMERLY  PLUM 

BY  de  side   er  de  road,   Brer  Rabbit 
sot  down, 
Wid   a  look   on   his   face  'twixt  a 
smile  an5  a  frown, 
Kaze  he  waitin'  fer  Brer  Fox  ter  come  back 

fum  town; 
Brer  Rabbit  wait  'twixt  doubt  an5  hope, 
Den   he  hear  Brer   Fox,  kaze   he   know'd 

his  lope; 
Brer  Fox  come  up  wid  a  sneeze  an'  a  grin, 
An'  he  say,  "Brer  Rabbit,  wharbouts  you 

been?" 
Brer  Rabbit,  he  'low,  "I  been  rovin'  some, 
An'  den  I  been  huntin'  de  Pimmerly  Plum ! 

"I  got  on  de  trail,  an'  here  I  come, 
Kaze  a  poun'  er  sugar  an'  a  pint  er  rum 

[  145  1 


THE    PIMMERLY    PLUM 

Aint  nigh  so  sweet  ez  de  Pimmerly  Plum !  " 
Now,    de    Pimmerly    Plum    wuz    monstus 

skace, 
An'    Brer    Fox    can't    ermember    dat    he 

y'ever  had  a  tas'e; 
So  he  sot  right  down  on   his  hunkers  an' 

wait; 
Brer   Rabbit  hummed   a    chune  dat  he'd 

l'arned  uv  late  — 
" Good  luck,  good  luck  ter  mine  an'  me, 
Kaze  we  sot  in  de  shade  er  de  sweet-gum 

tree ! " 

"  Make  'as'e,    Brer   Rabbit,"  sez   ol'  Brer 

Fox, 
"Kaze  I  done  got  myse'f  in  a  kin'  uv  a 

box, 
Brer  B'ar  is  a-comin'  an'  he'll  chunk  me 

wid  rocks, 

[  146  ] 


So  he  sot  right  down  on  his  hunkers  an   wait 


THE    PIMMERLY    PLUM 

An5  oP  Brer  Wolf,  he's  a-comin'  too  — 
I  'clar'  ter  gracious,  I  dunner  what  ter  do." 
Brer  Rabbit,  he  chuckle  wid  his  he-he-he, 
"Brer  Fox,  go  git  un'  de  sweet-gum  tree." 
Brer  Fox,  he  say,  "  I  aint  feelin'  well, 
An'  I  know  I  '11  be  sick  ef  you  don't  tell !  " 

Brer  Rabbit  start  ag'in  wid  his  te-he-he, 
An'  "  Mo'  dan  once,  I've  tol'  you,"  sezee, 
"An'  ef  you  can't  hear,  why,  don't  blame 

me; 
I  done  tol'  you  'bout  de  ol'  sweet-gum, 
Kaze   dat's  whar  you'll  fin'  de  Pimmerly 

Plum ! 
You'll  hatter  put  yo'  unpatience  aside, 
Git  under  a  Plum,  an'  dar  abide; 
You  shet  yo'  eyes  an'  open  yo'  mouf, 
An'  you  won't  wait  long,  kaze  dar  's  been 

a  drouf ! " 

[  148  ] 


"  You  'II  hatter  -put  yo1  unpatience  aside  " 


THE    PIMMERLY    PLUM 
Brer    Fox  say,    "Goody!"    an5   show  his 


•urn, 


An'  he   say  ter  Brer   Rabbit,   "  Please   do 

come, 
Kaze   I   want  you  ter  show  me  de   Pim- 

merly  Plum ! " 
Brer  Rabbit  giggle,  but  he  tuck  'im  along, 
An'  ez  he  went,  he  sing  dis  song — 
"A  poun'  er sugar  an'  a  pint  er  rum, 
Aint  nigh  so  sweet  ez  de  Pimmerly  Plum !  " 
He  made  'im  set  down  un'  de  sweet-gum 

tree, 
An'  he  went  sneakin'  off  wid  his  te-he-he ! 

Brer   Fox  helt  his  mouf  like  he  'bout  ter 

gi'  a  yap, 
But  he  wuz  a-waitin'  fer  de  Plum  ter  drap ! 
An'   Brer  Rabbit  make   like  he  gwine  ter 

take  a  nap; 

[  150] 


THE    PIMMERLY    PLUM 

Brer    B'ar   an'   Brer  Wolf  come   swingin' 

along, 
A-whistlin'  a  chune,  er  singin'  a  song; 
Brer   Rabbit   wave   his  han'   an'   p'int  ter 

Brer  Fox 
A-settin'  dar  like  his  jaws  got  de  locks; 
Hearin'    a    big    ha-ha!      Brer    Fox    lookt 


aroun', 


An'    I   let   you   know  he   snoke   fum   dat 
groun' ! 


[  151  1 


THE  STORY  OF  BRER  FOX 
AND  LITTLE  MR.  CRICKET 

THE  little  boy  had  made  no  com- 
ments on  the  story  of  Teenchy- 
Tiny  Duck  after  Uncle  Remus 
told  it,  preferring  to  bury  his  talents  in 
the  new  picture  book,  but  he  asked  the 
old  negro  about  it  when  they  were  ready 
to  go  home.  "How  did  the  Duck  get 
the  Ladder  in  her  satchel  ?  "  he  inquired. 
Uncle  Remus  sighed  and  looked  around 
him.  "We  aint  in  no  court-house,  is 
we,  honey?  Kaze  ef  we  is,  I'm  gwine 
off  some'rs  whar  dey  aint  no  court-houses 
an5  lawyers;  I  done  had  my  fill  un  um. 
Plain  livin'  suits  me,  an'  de  planer  it  is  de 
better  I  likes  it.  Now,  maybe  dat  Ladder 
wuz  one  er  de  telescopius  kind  what  kin 

[  152  ] 


LITTLE    MR.  CRICKET 

fold  up.  I  aint  never  seed  one  un  um 
myself,  but  I  speck  dey  had  um  in  dem 
days.  We  got  mighty  big  idees,  but  we 
aint  no  smarter  dan  folks  dat's  done  come 
an'  gone.  Mo5  dan  dat,  a  tale's  a  tale, 
an5  you  can't  make  nothin'  else  out'n  um. 
When  de  tale  wuz  tolden  unto  me,  I  aint 
ax  nothin'  about  no  Ladder.  'T  wuz  in  de 
satchel  in  de  tale,  an'  'twant  no  business 
er  mine  fer  ter  take  it  out.  It'd  be  dar 
yit,  ef  I  had  my  way.  Furdermo',  when 
you  git  so  you  can't  b'lieve  tales,  it's  time 
fer  yo'  pa  fer  ter  put  you  in  some  sto' 
whar  you  kin  l'arn  all  about  swindlin'  yo 
neighbors.  Dat's  de  kind  er  folks  dat 
wanter  pick  a  tale  ter  pieces  like  dey  wuz 
pickin'  a  chicken  —  an'  goodness  knows  I 
wish  I  had  one  ter  pick  right  now!  " 

"  How  deep  was  the  well  that  the  Lad- 

[  153  1 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

der  helped  the  Duck  out  of? "  inquired 
the  little  boy. 

"  Ah !  now  you  're  tryin'  fer  ter  talk  hoss 
sense!  I  dunner  how  deep  de  well  wuz; 
it  mought  'a'  been  a  inch  an'  a  quarter,  er 
it  mought  er  been  sev'mty-five  feet;  ez 
de  well  wuz,  so  wuz  de  Ladder,  an'  I  '11 
let  you  medjur  um  fer  yo'se'f,  kaze  I  aint 
gwine  roun'  medjurin'  yuther  folks's  wells 
an'  Ladders  5  I  got  sump'n  better  ter  do 
dan  dat.  I  had  a  tale  on  my  mind  dat  I 
wuz  des  gwine  fer  ter  tell  you,  but,  la! 
you  done  got  me  so  mixt  up  dat  I  aint  got 
right  good  sense.  Is  ter-day  yistiddy,  er 
is  it  day 'fo'  yistiddy?  I  wish  you'd  tell 
me  dat,  kaze  somebody  done  tol'  me  dat 
my  allmanac  is  got  rain  whar  it  oughter 
be  shine  ?  " 

"Can't     you     remember    the    story?" 

[  154] 


T  wuz  in  de  satchel  in  de  tale,  an  7  want  no  business  er  mine  fer  ter 

take  it  out " 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

asked  the  little  boy.  " Can't  you  tie  a  string 
around  your  thumb  and  remember  it? 
That's  the  way  mamma  does  when  she 
wants  papa  to  bring  her  something  from 
town." 

"No,  no,  honey!  Dey  tells  me  dat 
when  a  man  gits  in  de  inhabitants  of  tyin' 
strings  on  his  fingers,  he  '11  be  sho  ter  die 
wid  a  rope  roun'  his  neck.  Dat  may  not 
be  so,  an'  you  neen'ter  run  an'  tell  yo' 
mammy  'bout  it;  you  may  tell  Miss  Sally, 
but  nobody  else,  kaze  ef  you  does  you  '11 
sho  git  me  in  trouble  when  I  go  atter  you 
fer  ter  fetch  you  down.  An',  speakin'  er 
town,  dat  ve'y  word  makes  de  tale  pop 
back  in  my  mind.  Aint  I  tell  you  a  tale 
once  'bout  little  Mr.  Cricket?  Eft  want 
you,  den  it  wuz  yo'  pa. 

"Well,  you  know  Mr.  Cricket  aint  so 

[  156  ] 


J 


"  Mr.  Cricket  didn't  do  nothiri  in  de  roun   worT  but  play  on  his  jife  an 

his  fiddle  " 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

mighty  big,  but  he  big  'nough  fer  ter  make 
a  heap  er  fuss  in  de  worl'  ;  some  er  de 
creeturs  say  dat  he  made  mo'  fuss  dan  he 
done  good.  I  aint  'sputin'  dat,  an'  I  aint 
'greein'  wid  it,  kaze  we  er  all  here  fer 
sump'n,  good  er  bad,  an'  we  bleedze  fer 
ter  foller  our  noses  ef  we  git  anywhar  'tall, 
an'  ef  we  don't  fall  down  an'  git  talked 
about,  we  may  thank  all  de  stars  on  de 
underside  er  de  sky. 

"  Dis  Mr.  Cricket  I  'm  tellin'  you  'bout 
aint  never  had  no  chance  fer  ter  live  in  no 
chimbly-jam.  He  stayed  out  in  de  bushes 
an'  de  high  grass,  an'  he  did  n't  do  nothin' 
in  de  roun'  worl'  but  play  on  his  fife  an' 
his  fiddle;  when  he  got  tired  er  one,  he'd 
turn  ter  de  udder. 

"  He  done  dis  spite  er  de  fack  dat  dey 'd 
had   a  mighty  bad   year;    not   much  rain, 

[  158  ] 


"  '  Hello,  Brer  Fox!  what  you  gwine  ? 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

but  a  mighty  sight  er  thunder.  When 
you  git  ez  old  ez  Noah  you'll  know  what 
I  mean.  Little  Mr.  Cricket  went  on  dis- 
a-way  twell  de  cool  nights  an5  days  'gun 
ter  come  on,  an'  sometimes  he  hatter  warm 
hisse'f  by  gittin'  under  a  clump  er  grass. 
But  he  wuz  cheerful;  he  aint  drapt  no 
sobs,  an'  he  aint  shed  no  sighs,  an'  he 
kep  on  a-flutin'  an'  a-fiddlin'. 

44  One  day  when  de  sun  wuz  shinin'  kinder 
thankful  like,  he  clum  on  top  er  de  tall 
grass,  an'  fiddled  away  like  somebody  wuz 
fryin'  meat.  He  hear  some  un  comin', 
an'  he  look  right  close,  an',  lo  beholes ! 
it  wuz  ol'  Brer  Fox.  He  'low,  4  Hello, 
Brer  Fox !    whar  you  gwine  ?  ' 

44  Brer  Fox  kinder  pull  hisse'f  up,  an'  ax 
4  who  dat  ?  ' 

44  Little   Mr.  Cricket  say,    4  It  aint  no- 

[  160  ] 


"  *  I  useter  be  a  rover  in  my  young  days,  an   I  'm  still  a-rovin  ' 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

body  in  de  roun'  worl'  but  me;  I  know 
I  aint  much,  but  I  'm  mighty  lively  when 
de  sun  shines  hot.  Whar  you  gwine, 
Brer  Fox  ?  ' 

" Brer  Fox,  he  say,  'I'm  gwine  whar 
I'm  gwine,  dat's  whar  I'm  gwine,  an'  I 
wouldn't  be  too  much  'stonished  ef  I  wuz 
ter  land  in  town  in  time  fer  ter  git  my 
dinner.  I  useter  be  a  rover  in  my  young 
days,  an'  I  'm  still  a-rovin'.' 

"'Well,  well!'  sez  little  Mr.  Cricket, 
sezee,  'we  all  goes  de  way  we're  pushed 
by  mind  er  hand,  an'  it  takes  a  mighty 
little  shove  fer  ter  send  us  de  way  we're 
gwine.  I  use'  ter  belong  ter  de  rover 
fambly  myse'f,  but  now  I  done  settle  down, 
an'  don't  do  a  thing  in  de  worl'  but  have 
my  own   fun    in    my   own   way   an'   time. 

But  sence  I  seed  you  an'  hear  you  talk  so 

[  162  ] 


"  '  £/"  /r^  #/»/,'  j<?z  i?r*r  i7^,  ^z<f*,  c  /  7/  ^<f/M  him 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

gayly,  I  done  tuck  a  notion  fer  take  dinner 
in  town  myse'f.' 

"Brer  Fox  Mow,  <How  will  you  git  dar, 
little  friend?' 

"Mr.  Cricket  say,  'Aint  you  never 
watched  my  motions?  I  got  legs  an' 
feet,  an'  I  done  cotch  de  jumpin'  habit 
fum  ol'  Cousin  Brown  Grasshopper — de 
kind  what  crawls  a  little,  walks  a  little,  flies 
a  little,  an'  hops  like  two-forty  on  de  shell 
road.  What  time  you  speck  fer  ter  git 
ter  town  ?  ' 

"Brer  Fox  'spon',  4Gi'  me  two  good 
hours,  an'  I  '11  be  right  dar  wid  my  appe- 
tite wid  me.' 

"Little  Mr.  Cricket  seem  like  he  wuz 
'stonished;  he  helt  up  all  his  hands  an' 
mighty  nigh  all  his  footses.  4  Two  hours ! 
Well,  by  de   time  you  git  dar,   I'll   done 

[  i64] 


"  Brer  Fox  pant  an    'low,  '  No,  su/i,  I  been  comhi  full  tilt  all  de  time  ' 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

been  had  my  dinner,  an'  ready  for  ter  take 
my  nap.' 

"Brer  Fox  grin  at  him,  an'  Mow,  *Ef 
you'll  beat  me  so  much  ez  ten  inches,  I'll 
pervide  yo'  dinner,  an'  let  you  choosen  yo' 
own  provender.  Ef  I  beat  you,  why,  den 
you'll  hatter  pervide  de  dinner — a  half- 
grown  lam'  an'  a  sucklin'  shote.' 

"Little  Mr.  Cricket  say  he'll  be  mo' 
dan  glad  fer  ter  fill  out  dat  p'ogrance.  An' 
den  Brer  Fox,  atter  grinnin'  ag'in,  started 
off  in  a  lope.  But,  des  'fo'  Brer  Fox 
make  his  start,  little  Mr.  Cricket  made  his  5 
he  tuck  a  flyin'  jump  an'  land  on  Brer  Fox 
big  bushy  tail,  an'  dar  he  stayed. 

"When  Brer  Fox  had  been  gwine  a 
little  mo'  dan  a  hour,  he  meet  Brer  Rabbit 
on  de  road,  an'  dey  howdied.  Brer  Fox 
laugh  an'  up  an'  tell  Brer  Rabbit  'bout  de 

[  167  ] 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

race  twix'  him  an'  Mr.  Cricket.  OP  Brer 
Rabbit,  he  smole  a  smile  an'  roll  his  eye- 
balls; he  do  so  funny  dat  Brer  Fox  ax  'im 
what  de  nation  is  de  matter  wid  'im. 

"Brer  Rabbit  say  he  wus  des  thinkin' 
how  Brer  Fox'd  feel  fer  ter  find  Mr. 
Cricket  dar  befo'  him.  Brer  Rabbit  'low, 
c  De  cute  little  creetur  passed  me  on  de 
road  a  quarter  hour  ago 5  ef  you're  gwine 
ter  git  dar  ahead  un  him,  you'll  hatter 
whip  up  yo'  hosses.  What  you  been  doin' 
all  dis  time?  You  must 'a'  fell  asleep  an' 
did  n't  know  it'  Brer  Fox  pant  an'  'low, 
€  No,  suh,  I  been  comin'  full  tilt  all  de  time.' 

"Brer  Rabbit  'spon',  <Den  all  I  got  fer 
ter  say  is  dat  Mr.  Cricket  is  got  a  mighty 
knack  fer  gittin'  over  groun'.  I  speck  he 
done  dar  by  dis  time!' 

" <  Ef  he   aint,'    sez    Brer   Fox,    sezee, 

[  168  ] 


»  .     9t 


"  Mr.  Cricket  tuck  a  fly  in  jump 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

4 1 '11  ketch  him,'  an'  wid  dat,  he  put  out 
an'  went  des  ez  hard  ez  he  kin;  but  fast 
ez  he  went  Mr.  Cricket  wuz  gwine  des  ez 
fast;  —  I  dunno  but  what  he  had  gone  fast 
asleep  in  de  saft  bed  whar  he  wuz  hidin' 
at. 

"When  Brer  Rabbit  see  Brer  Fox  mend 
his  gait,  he  des  roll  over  an'  waller  in  de 
san',  an'  laugh  fit  fer  ter  kill.  He  say 
ter  hisse'f,  *  I  'm  mighty  glad  I  met  my 
ol'  friend,  kaze  now  I  know  dat  all  de 
fools  aint  dead  —  an'  long  may  dey  live  fer 
ter  gi'  me  sump'n  ter  do.  I  dunner  how 
in  de  wide  worl'  I'd  git  along  widout  um. 
Dey  keeps  me  fat  an'  sassy,  whedder  craps 
is  good  er  not.'  Kaze  when  Brer  Rabbit 
wuz  lookin'  Brer  Fox  over,  his  eye  fell  on 
little  Mr.  Cricket,  an'  dis  what  make  he 
roll  it  so;   he  seed  Mr.  Cricket  settin'  up 

[  170  ] 


"  He  say,  '  How  in  de  wide  worF  did  you  git  here  so  quick, 
Mr.  Cricket  t  *  " 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

dar  des  ez  snug  ez  a  bug  in  a  rug,  ef  you 
know  how  snug  dat  is. 

"Well,  de  upshot  er  de  whole  business 
wuz  dat  when  Brer  Fox  got  ter  town  an' 
come  ter  de  gate  —  dey  had  towns  walled 
in  in  dem  days  —  Mr.  Cricket  tuck  a  flyin' 
jump  an'  landed  on  top  whar  he  could 
watch  Brer  Fox,  an5  see  what  he  gwine 
ter  do. 

"Brer  Fox,  he  knock  at  de  gate,  an' 
den  walk  up  an'  down  waitin'  fer  some  un 
ter  open  it. 

"Mr.  Cricket,  on  top  er  de  wall,  holler 
out,  c  Heyo,  Brer  Fox!  whar  you  been  all 
dis  time?  You  must  'a'  stopped  some'rs 
on  de  road  fer  ter  git  yo'  dinner  $  an'  I  'm 
sorry,  too.  I  done  been  had  mine  so  long 
dat  I  'm  e'en  about  ready  an'  willin'  fer  ter 
eat  ag'in.      I   had  de  idee,  fum  what  you 

[  172  ] 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

said,  dat  you  wuz  gwine  ter  come  on  ez 
hard  ez  you  could.  You  must  'a'  stopped 
on  de  way  an'  had  a  confab  wid  Brer 
Rabbit;  I  met  him  on  de  way,  an5  it  look 
like  ter  me  dat  he  wuz  ready  fer  ter  pass 
de  time  er  day  wid  anybody  dat  come 
along.' 

"Brer  Fox  look  like  he  wuz  'stonished. 
He  say,  'How  in  de  wide  worP  did  you 
git  here  so  quick,  Mr.  Cricket  ? '  Mr. 
Cricket,  he  make  answer,  <  I  kin  hardly 
tell  you,  Brer  Fox.  You  know  how  I 
travels — wid  a  hop,  skip  an'  a  jump  — 
well,  I  hopped,  an'  skipped  an'  jumped  a 
little  quicker  dis  time,  an'  got  here  all  safe 
an'  soun'.  When  ol'  'quaintances  holler 
at  me  on  de  road,  I  des  kep'  on  a-gwine ; 
I  done  foun'  out  long  ago  dat  de  way  fer  ter 
git  anywhar  is  ter  go  on  whar  you  gwine.' 

[  173  ] 


LITTLE    MR.    CRICKET 

"Brer  Fox  shuck  his  head,  an'  panted, 
an'  when  dey  let  him  in  de  gate,  he  run  his 
han'  in  his  pocket,  an'  paid  fer  Mr.  Crick- 
et's dinner;  an'  den,  atter  dinner,  Mr. 
Cricket  sot  back  an'  tuck  a  chaw  ter- 
backer,  an'  warmed  hisse'f  in  de  sun. 

"Now,  den,"  remarked  the  old  darkey, 
"ef  you  want  ter  know  de  rest  er  de  tale, 
you'll  hatter  git  some  un  else  fer  ter  tell 
you,  kaze  it  aint  no  nigger  tale,  nohow." 

But  the  little  boy  seemed  to  be  satis- 
fied with  it  all,  and  presently  he  was  lying 
flat  on  the  floor  gazing  at  the  ceiling. 


if^y     v 


